Disorders - Anxiety Disorders
Goldstein, M. R., Lewin, R. K., Allen, J. J. B.
Objective: Compare two distinct psychosocial stress-management workshops. Participant(s): Undergraduate and graduate students (n=69 for
analysis, completed April 2017). Method(s): Participants were randomized to one of two workshops (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, SKY; Wisdom On Wellness,
WOW), matched in terms of duration, group size, etc. Outcomes were questionnaires and psychophysiological response to laboratory stress induction at
pre, post, and 3-month follow-up. Result(s): SKY and WOW participants demonstrated similar workshop ratings and retention rates. SKY demonstrated
greater improvements on a number of self-report measures relative to WOW, including perceived stress, sleep, social connectedness, distress, anxiety,
depression, conscientiousness, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Both groups improved in terms of heart rate measures of stress reactivity,
however, these outcomes were partially related to changes in resting values at post-workshop and follow-up. Conclusion(s): These findings offer
insight into unique patterns of change between yogic breathing, acceptance-based approaches to stress management versus cognitively based
approaches.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH, : 1-
11
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Psychoeducation, Other Psychological Interventions, Meditation, Relaxation
Gebhart, V., Buchberger, W., Klotz, I., Neururer, S., Rungg, C., Tucek, G., Zenzmaier, C., Perkhofer, S.
BACKGROUND: Nursing
students all over the world experience high levels of stress with negative impacts on their health, emotional state and performance. AIM: This study
aimed to investigate the effects of distraction-focused interventions on examination stress and anxiety in nursing students. METHOD(S): A randomized
controlled, parallel trial design was conducted from January to June 2016. After baseline measurement, 72 participants were randomized to one of the
following groups (n = 18 each): (i) animal-assisted therapy; (ii) music therapy; (iii) mandala painting; (iv) control group. Outcomes of all groups
in terms of stress-reduction were compared by measuring self-reported perceived stress (STAI-State and visual analogue stress scale) and salivary
biomarker levels (Cortisol and Immunoglobulin A). RESULT(S): Fifty-seven complete data sets (n = 12-16 for each group) were analysed. All
distraction-focused interventions showed stress and anxiety reduction in everyday school situations. By contrast, on days with examinations, stress
reductions did not reach statistical significance in regard to self-reported psychological stress. At the same time, interventions resulted in
significantly decreased levels of stress biomarkers (P < .001). CONCLUSION(S): Our preliminary findings suggest positive but situation-dependent
effects of distraction-focused interventions in academic settings. Further research should investigate the complex relationship between physiological
and psychological stress parameters. Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
International journal of nursing practice, 26(1) : e12788
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art, Other complementary & alternative
interventions
Garcia, S., Nalven, M., Ault,
A., Eskenazi, M. A.
Introduction: Anxiety
is characterized by psychological, physiological, and cognitive complaints. Current treatments have significant limitations, and often overlook any
potential benefits to common cognitive symptoms, notably attention and executive function issues. The current study aimed to investigate the use of
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on both common anxiety symptoms and executive function abilities in a college aged sample. Method(s):
As this is one of the first large scale anxiety studies utilizing tDCS, participants were given a single session of tDCS (anodal, cathodal, or sham)
for 20 min at 2 mA over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC). Participants also completed a series of self-reported anxiety measures and
measures of executive functioning (Rey-O Copy and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task). Result(s): While there were no differences in anxiety between tDCS
groups, a trend was noted demonstrating better performance on Rey-O Copy for the cathodal group. Anxiety increased pre to post for all groups.
Conclusion(s): Overall, results suggest that while anodal stimulation of the lDLPFC may benefit cognitive abilities for this population, targeting
psychological symptoms of anxiety likely requires stimulation over other cortex, possibly right DLPFC. Further, the use of tDCS, whether active or
sham, may be distressing to patients. Copyright © 2020
International Journal of Psychophysiology, 158 : 172-
177
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Other biological interventions
Feruglio, S., Matiz, A., Grecucci, A., Pascut, S., Fabbro, F., Crescentini, C.
OBJECTIVE: Preliminary findings
suggest that different kinds of meditation could work on diverse cognitive and psychological processes. The present study aimed at disentangling the
effects of three mindfulness techniques on mental rumination and subjective time perspective. Design(s): 75 young healthy participants were randomly
assigned to one of four conditions: mindful breathing, body scan, observing-thoughts meditation and an active control condition. The meditation
groups practiced mindfulness daily and attended weekly group meetings for 8weeks, while the control group was involved in reading and discussing a
book about mindfulness. Main Outcome Measure(s): Self-report measures of mindfulness skills, ruminative thinking, attitude towards time, anxiety,
depression and personality traits. Result(s): In all meditation conditions, analysis of covariance showed a significant improvement in mindfulness
skills compared to the control group. We found a specific effect of mindful breathing in reducing participants' tendency to brooding and in
increasing their positive vision of the future, compared to all other conditions. Conclusion(s): As expected, we found some differential effects:
breathing meditation helped practitioners to train more effectively their ability to disengage from maladaptive ruminative thoughts, which could be
reflected in a more optimistic attitude toward the future. These results provide useful information to structure better mindfulness-based
interventions.
Psychology &
health, : 1-24
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Mindfulness based
therapy, Meditation
Fernandes, M. P., Vidal, C. L., de-Oliveira, T. T., Botelho, A. L., Valente, M. L. D. C., Reis, A.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluatephotobiomodulation applied at auriculotherapy points forsleep
disorder (SD) and anxiety related to temporomandibulardysfunction (TMD). Method(s): The study consisted of two groups of 20 participants:
Auriculotherapy group (A) and Control Group(C). The participants responded to the RDC/TMD, Fletcher & Luckett questionnaires, and the Beck Anxiety
Inventory to analyze TMD, SD, and anxiety before and after the treatment. Result(s): The participants presented scores corresponding to mild to
moderateanxiety (MDN = 17; CI = [13.16;22.31]) and after treatment, normalor non-existent anxiety (MDN = 9; CI = [8.76; 17.12]) (p = 0.005). There
was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the controland 20 auriculotherapy groups for TMD and SD. Discussion(s): The results suggest that
auriculotherapy was effective in the treatment of anxiety. However, it did not prove effective with the results of the SD and symptoms of TMD.
Cranio : the journal of craniomandibular practice, : 1-6
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Acupuncture, acupressure, Other complementary & alternative
interventions
Fadhli, T., Situmorang, D.
D. B.
Objectives: Anxiety can cause someone to be counterproductive or experience psychological disorders, causing discomfort in
social activities, less active participation in behavior. This study aims to prove the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach
and the cognitive restructuring (CR) technique to reduce individual psychosocial anxiety through group counseling, which covers high school
adolescents. The CBT approach with the CR technique for dealing with personal psychosocial anxiety provides valuable space for movement. The CBT
approach with the CR technique will change the maladaptive beliefs that arise because of anxiety. This intervention aims to increase self-defense and
self-control by stimulating rational problem-solving abilities, social skills, and active participation in social activities. Method(s): The research
method was a nonequivalent group pretest-posttest design with a control or comparison group. On the basis of the paired sample t test, there is a
significant difference in the mean. The results showed that the CBT approach with the CR technique effectively reduced psychosocial anxiety in the
COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusion(s): The results showed that the CBT approach with the CR technique effectively reduced psychosocial anxiety in the
COVID-19 outbreak. Copyright © 2020 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Addictive Disorders and their Treatment, : 1-
10
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Social phobia (social anxiety disorder)
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Other Psychological Interventions
Cocca, A., Verdugo, F. E., Cuenca, L. T. R., Cocca, M.
Promotion of healthy active behaviors should start from early ages, as behaviors
learned in youth are more likely to endure. A fundamental body of research in this field focuses on the implementation of programs within physical
education (PE), thanks to its favorable characteristics. However, traditional PE based on exercise training and controlling styles seems to have
weaker association with students' health benefits. For this reason, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of a game-based PE program on
physical fitness and psychological health in schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 years old. A total of 252 students were distributed in experimental (EG,
games-centered activities) and control (CG, traditional exercise training activities) groups. The program lasted 6 months. Health-related physical
fitness components, psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, stress, and anxiety were assessed before and after the treatment. Both groups increased
physical fitness at post-test; however, cardiorespiratory fitness did not improve. No differences were found between the groups at post-test. Our
results show that games may be as effective as traditional training methods; yet, they suggest that PE alone may be insufficient for obtaining
substantive benefits in cardiorespiratory fitness, regardless of the type of task presented. Copyright © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel,
Switzerland.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13) : 1-
13
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Physical activity, exercise
Chavez, L. J., Kelleher, K., Slesnick, N., Holowacz, E., Luthy, E., Moore, L., Ford, J.
Background: Homelessness among
youth is devastating, with high rates of substance use disorders and mental health comorbidity. Mindfulness-based interventions that include
meditation and mindfulness skills training reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, engaging high-risk youth in interventions is
challenging. Virtual reality is a more flexible platform for delivering meditation and may be appealing to youth. Objective(s): The study objectives
were to evaluate the feasibility of delivering virtual reality meditation and of collecting outcome measures, including anxiety and physiologic
stress. Method(s): A sample of 30 youth experiencing homelessness was enrolled in the study. Youth were randomized to receive 10 minutes of one of
three interventions: (1) virtual reality meditation, (2) audio meditation (through a web-based platform), or (3) virtual reality imagery of
historical pictures and text. Subjects who consented to the study attended two research visits. The first visit collected survey measures of
demographics, mental health, and substance use, and oriented subjects to the intervention platforms. The second visit (1-3 days later) delivered the
intervention and collected pre and post outcome measures of anxiety and physiologic stress (salivary cortisol). Changes in anxiety and cortisol at
the second visit were compared across groups using a linear regression model in which the primary analysis compared virtual reality meditation to
audio meditation and secondary analyses compared virtual reality meditation to virtual reality imagery. Result(s): Anxiety scores decreased in all
groups, with a larger reduction among the virtual reality meditation group (difference=10.8) compared to the web-based meditation or virtual reality
images groups (difference=5.8 and 5.0, respectively). After controlling for baseline values, there were no significant group differences in changes
in anxiety scores or cortisol levels. In comparing virtual reality meditation and audio meditation, the effect size for anxiety was moderate (Cohen
d=0.58) while the effect size for cortisol was small (Cohen d=0.08). Conclusion(s): Preliminary results suggest that virtual reality meditation has a
moderate benefit for anxiety but not physiologic stress. Future research is needed to confirm these results in a larger sample and to investigate
whether the effects are sustained or increase with repeated use of virtual reality mediation. Virtual reality meditation appears feasible to deliver
among homeless youth and merits further study. Copyright © Laura Johnson Chavez, Kelly Kelleher, Natasha Slesnick, Eugene Holowacz, Ellison Luthy,
Laura Moore, Jodi Ford. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 24.09.2020. This is an open-access article distributed
under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Mental Health, is properly cited. The complete
bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://mental.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be
included.
JMIR Mental
Health, 7(9) :
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Service Delivery & Improvement, Meditation, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS), Technology, comparing delivery mode (e.g. online vs. face-to-face)
Cervin, M., Storch, E. A., Piacentini, J., Birmaher, B., Compton, S. N., Albano, A. M., Gosch, E., Walkup, J. T., Kendall, P. C.
BACKGROUND: Pediatric anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and associated with significant functional disabilities and
lifelong morbidity. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), sertraline, and their combination are effective treatments, but little is known about how
these treatments exert their effects. METHOD(S): Using network intervention analysis (NIA), we analyzed data from the largest randomized controlled
treatment trial of pediatric anxiety disorders (Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study, NCT00052078, clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00052078) and
outlined the causal symptom domain-specific effects of CBT, sertraline, and their combination over the course of the 12-week treatment while taking
into account both specificity and overlap between symptom domains. RESULT(S): All active treatments produced positive effects with the most
pronounced and consistent effects emerging in relation to psychological distress, family interference, and avoidance. Psychological distress was
consistently the most and physical symptoms the least central symptom domain in the disorder network. CONCLUSION(S): All active treatments showed
beneficial effects when compared to placebo, and NIA identified that these effects were exerted similarly across treatments and primarily through a
reduction of psychological distress, family interference, and avoidance. CBT and sertraline may have differential mechanisms of action in relation to
psychological distress. Given the lack of causal effects on interference outside family and physical symptoms, interventions tailored to target these
domains may aid in the building of more effective treatments. Psychological distress and avoidance should remain key treatment focuses because of
their central roles in the disorder network. The findings inform and promote developing more effective interventions. Copyright © 2019 Association
for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 61(4) : 492-
502
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Antidepressants
(any), Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Carrion, V. G.
Objectives: Cue-centered therapy (CCT) is a manualized treatment designed to reduce posttraumatic stress symptoms in children
exposed to chronic violence. The purpose of this study is threefold: 1) conduct a randomized trial contrasting CCT to trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) and
treatment as usual (TAU); 2) conduct a longitudinal assessment with evaluations before treatment (T1), midtreatment (T2), and posttreatment (T3), and
at 3-month follow-up; and 3) assess for symptomatic improvements, supplementing clinical measures with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
evaluations. Method(s): This community-based study enrolled 73 children (27 males; 46 females) aged 7-17 years (M = 12.9, SD = 3.1) exposed to
chronic violence who endorsed posttraumatic symptoms on the University of California, Los Angeles PTSD Reaction Index (UCLA-RI). Subjects were
randomized to 1 of 3 treatment conditions: CCT (n = 25), TF-CBT (n = 22), or TAU (n = 26). Measures included the Behavior Rating Inventory of
Executive Function (BRIEF), the Multiaxial Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). A total of 53 subjects
have at least 2 evaluation times, and 17 of these subjects have T3 data and were included in these preliminary analyses. Result(s): There were no
statistically significant differences in baseline variables across groups. Dependent sample t-tests indicated significant pre-post differences
between total scores on the UCLA-RI for CCT (t(5) = 3.4; p = 0.01; D = 1.39) and TF-CBT (t(6) = 2.85; p = 0.02; D = 1.08), but not for TAU (t(5) =
0.5; p = 0.6). Pre (M = 59.6, SD = 14.6) and post (M = 52.3, SD = 12.9) differences were also significant (t(7) = 3.0; p = 0.01; D = 0.52) on MASC
total scores for TF-CBT. Although the total score on the MASC dropped between pre (M = 56.5, SD = 7.0) and post (M = 46.2, SD = 9.8) for CCT, the
result was not significant (t(6) = 2.1; p = 0.07; D = 1.2). There were no significant pre-post differences across groups on the CDI or BRIEF.
Conclusion(s): These data indicate that both CCT and TF-CBT improve posttraumatic and anxiety symptoms in children with a history of interpersonal
violence. The significance of effect sizes will be discussed. fNIRS results on executive function will supplement BRIEF results. PTSD, P, IMAGS
Copyright © 2020
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59 (10
Supplement) : S323
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-
CBT)
Cardy,
J. L., Waite, P., Cocks, F., Creswell, C.
Anxiety disorders are
common among adolescents and lead to poor long-term outcomes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced-based intervention for adolescent
anxiety disorders, but little is known about whether and how parents should be involved. This systematic review evaluated how parents have been
involved and associated treatment outcomes in studies of CBT for adolescent anxiety disorders. Electronic systematic searches were conducted in
PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Medline, AMED databases, to identify studies investigating CBT for adolescent anxiety disorder(s) that included parents in
treatment. Twenty-three papers were identified. Parents were involved in treatment in a number of different ways: by attending separate parent
sessions, joint parent-adolescent sessions, or both, or through provision of a workbook while attending some adolescent sessions. Content varied but
was most typically aimed at the parent developing an understanding of core CBT components and skills to help them manage their adolescent's anxiety
and avoidance. Treatment outcomes indicate that CBT with parental involvement is an effective intervention for adolescent anxiety disorders; however,
it is not possible to draw conclusions regarding whether parental involvement (generally or in any particular form) enhances treatment outcomes. Poor
reporting and methodological issues also limit the conclusions. Further research is required to identify whether there are particular types of
parental involvement in CBT that bring clinical benefits to adolescents with anxiety disorders generally, as well as in particular circumstances.
Clinical child and family psychology review, 23(4) : 483-509
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Other Psychological Interventions
Brigden, A., Anderson, E., Linney, C., Morris, R., Parslow, R., Serafimova, T., Smith, L., Briggs, E., Loades, M., Crawley, E.
Background: The prevalence of chronic health conditions in childhood is
increasing, and behavioral interventions can support the management of these conditions. Compared with face-to-face treatment, the use of digital
interventions may be more cost-effective, appealing, and accessible, but there has been inadequate attention to their use with younger populations
(children aged 5-12 years). Objective(s): This systematic review aims to (1) identify effective digital interventions, (2) report the characteristics
of promising interventions, and (3) describe the user's experience of the digital intervention. Method(s): A total of 4 databases were searched
(Excerpta Medica Database [EMBASE], PsycINFO, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online [MEDLINE], and the Cochrane Library) between
January 2014 and January 2019. The inclusion criteria for studies were as follows: (1) children aged between 5 and 12 years, (2) interventions for
behavior change, (3) randomized controlled trials, (4) digital interventions, and (5) chronic health conditions. Two researchers independently double
reviewed papers to assess eligibility, extract data, and assess quality. Result(s): Searches run in the databases identified 2643 papers. We
identified 17 eligible interventions. The most promising interventions (having a beneficial effect and low risk of bias) were 3 targeting overweight
or obesity, using exergaming or social media, and 2 for anxiety, using web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Characteristics of promising
interventions included gaming features, therapist support, and parental involvement. Most were purely behavioral interventions (rather than CBT or
third wave), typically using the behavior change techniques (BCTs) feedback and monitoring, shaping knowledge, repetition and substitution, and
reward. Three papers included qualitative data on the user's experience. We developed the following themes: parental involvement, connection with a
health professional is important for engagement, technological affordances and barriers, and child-centered design. Conclusion(s): Of the 17 eligible
interventions, digital interventions for anxiety and overweight or obesity had the greatest promise. Using qualitative methods during digital
intervention development and evaluation may lead to more meaningful, usable, feasible, and engaging interventions, especially for this
underresearched younger population. The following characteristics could be considered when developing digital interventions for younger children:
involvement of parents, gaming features, additional therapist support, behavioral (rather than cognitive) approaches, and particular BCTs (feedback
and monitoring, shaping knowledge, repetition and substitution, and reward). This review suggests a model for improving the conceptualization and
reporting of behavioral interventions involving children and parents. Copyright © Amberly Brigden, Emma Anderson, Catherine Linney, Richard Morris,
Roxanne Parslow, Teona Serafimova, Lucie Smith, Emily Briggs, Maria Loades, Esther Crawley. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet
Research (http://www.jmir.org), 31.07.2020. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original
publication on http://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included
Journal of
Medical Internet Research, 22(7) :
- Year: 2020
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)