Disorders - Anxiety Disorders
Leung, B., Takeda, W.
Background
The prevalence of anxiety disorders in children has been estimated to be as high as 40%. Current treatments for paediatric anxiety have had limited
success. Recently, studies show acupuncture to be relatively safe and effective, even in children. Objectives To study the use of acupuncture for
pediatric anxiety, and evaluate the feasibility of the randomization process, adherence to the inter-vention by this population, and changes to
measures of anxiety. Methods This pilot study was a randomized control trial of children with anx-iety, age 9 to 15, and living in Lethbridge, AB and
the surrounding communities. Participants were randomized to acupuncture or wait-list control groups. Participants in the waitlist group was given
acu-puncture after a wait-period of 5 weeks (matching the time the treat-ment group received acupuncture). Anxiety was measured using the
Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) self and parent rating forms, and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale for Children and Adolescent
(HAM-A). Acupuncture was provided by a licensed acupuncturist at 1 session per week for 5 weeks. The nurse using the HAM-A was blinded to the
children\"s group assignment. Results Nineteen participants were enrolled, with 10 in the treatment and 9 in the waitlist group. Children in the
acupuncture group had lower MASC-parent scores following completion of the acupuncture session than children in the waitlist (no acupuncture) group
(p <.05). Scores were significantly lower for all 3 measures of anxiety from the pre-to post-acupuncture assessments (p <.01). Conclusion Children
who received acupuncture treatments had lower anxiety scores from pre-to post assessments, and compared to the wait-list group. Acupuncture was
tolerated and acceptable to patients and their families.
BMC
Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Conference: World Congress Integrative Medicine and Health, 17(Supplement
1) :
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Acupuncture, acupressure
De-Vries, E., Van-Schrojenstein-Lantman, M., Hoebregts, V., MacKus, M., Garssen, J., Verster, J. C., Scholey, A.
Introduction:
Relative to a regular \"Western\" diet, a Mediterranean diet is characterized by a higher intake of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, and a lower intake
of meat and dairy products (except long-preservable cheeses) [1] Whereas an increasing body of scientific literature is devoted to the effects of
having a Mediterranean diet on general health and physical functioning, less research has been conducted to examine the association with mood and
mental health. Aim: The aim of the current single-blind, parallel group study was to examine the effects of a 10-day Mediterranean dietary
intervention on mood. Methods: Fifty-three young female adults within the age of 18-38 (M = 22.25, SD = 3.62) were randomly assigned to either the
control group or the dietary intervention group. Those in the diet treatment group had to adhere to the Mediterranean diet, which is typically dense
in nutrients. On their baseline visit, participants completed a demographic questionnaire, had physical measure ments taken, completed the food
frequency questionnaire, and completed Bond-Lader visual analogue scales assessing alertness, calmness, and being content. Mood was further assessed
by completion of the profiles of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, including subscales on tension/anxiety, anger/hostility, fatigue/inertia,
vigour/activity, and confusion/bewilderment. Also, a total mood disturbances score was computed. Food intake was recorded daily over the 10-day
period (using a food diary). Assessments were made on Day 1, Day 5, and Day10. Using SPSS (Version 24), GLM for repeated measures was used to compare
mood outcome measures of the two groups over time. Post-hoc tests compared pre-and post-treatment data within the Mediterranean diet group and within
the control group. Effects were significant if p < 0.05. Results: A significant Treatment x Time interaction was found for POMS subscale scores of
tension/anxiety (p = 0.001), anger/hostility (0.014), fatigue/inertia (p = 0.003), confusion/bewilder ment (p = 0.015), vigour/activity (p < 0.001),
and the total mood disturbances score. No significant Treatment x Time interaction was found on the POMS subscale depression/rejection (p = 0.126).
Relative to Day 1, in the Mediterranean diet group on Day 10 scores on the POMS subscales tension/anxiety, anger/hostility, fatigue/inertia,
confusion/bewilderment and the total mood disturbances score were significantly lower (p < 0.05), whereas vigour/activity scores were significantly
higher (p < 0.05). No significant pre-and post-treatment differences were seen in the control group. A. significant Treatment x Time interaction was
also seen for Bond Lader scores on alertness (p = 0.003) and being content (p = 0.001). Relative to Day 1, these scores were significantly higher on
Day 10 in the Mediterranean diet group (p < 0.05). This effect was not seen in the control group. Conclusion: This study suggests that switching to a
Mediterranean diet for just 10 days is associated with significant positive mood effects, including significantly increased levels of alertness being
content, and increased vigour/activity, and reduced feelings of anxiety, anger, fatigue, and confusion. Further research is warranted to examine the
long-term effect of Mediterranean diet and its specific components on health and mood.
European Neuropsychopharmacology, 27 (Supplement 4) : S879-
S880
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Dietary advice, dietary change
Gholami-Tahsini, Z., Makvand-Hosseini, S., Kianersi, F., Rashn, S., Majdara, E.
The main aim of the
present research was to determine the effectiveness of biofeedback-aided relaxation training (BFRT) for alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety,
and stress for undergraduate students as they prepared for their final examinations. In a randomized controlled trial design, 29 male and female
students, with heightened levels of depression, anxiety and stress scores on the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, were chosen and randomly
assigned to BFRT or a no-treatment control condition. Subjects assigned to BFRT received eight sessions of BFRT spaced over 4 weeks, during which
they were trained to decrease electromyography (EMG) and respiration rate (RESP) and to increase skin temperature (TEMP). Data were extracted and
analyzed by GLM statistical analysis. Students receiving BFRT revealed significant reductions in symptoms when compared to the untreated controls.
Those receiving BFRT also showed significant changes for the three targeted psychophysiological modalities (EMG, RESP, and TEMP). It was concluded
that BFRT can be useful for reducing symptoms of emotional disturbance in undergraduate students during a particularly stressful period and that this
may, in turn, help promote overall psychological health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Applied
Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 42(4) : 299-307
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Biofeedback, neurofeedback, audio/video feedback, Relaxation
Dundas, I., Binder, P. E., Hansen, T. G. B., Stige, S. H.
The
primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of a two-week self-compassion course on healthy self-regulation (personal growth self-efficacy
and healthy impulse control) and unhealthy self-regulation (self-judgment and habitual negative self-directed thinking) in university students. We
also examined the effects on self-compassion, anxiety and depression. Students (N = 158, 85% women, mean age = 25 years) were randomized to an
intervention group and a waiting-list control group in a multi-baseline randomized control trial. Healthy self-control was measured by the Personal
Growth Initiative Scale (PGIS) and the Self-Control Scale; unhealthy self-control was measured by the Non-judgement subscale from the Five-Facet
Mindfulness Questionnaire (reversed) and the Habit Index of Negative Thinking (HINT). Secondary outcomes were measured by the State-Trait Anxiety
Inventory (STAI-trait), the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). A 2 x 3 repeated measures analysis of variance
(ANOVA) showed gains for the intervention-group in personal growth self-efficacy and healthy impulse-control and reductions in self-judgment and
habitual negative self-directed thinking, as well as increases in self-compassion and reductions in anxiety and depression. After all participants
had completed the course, the groups were combined and repeated measures ANOVAs showed that changes remained at six-month follow-up for personal
growth self-efficacy, self-judgment and habitual negative self-directed thinking; as well as for self-compassion, anxiety and depression. Concluding,
a short self-compassion course seems an effective method of increasing self-compassion and perceived control over one's life for university
students, as well as increasing mental health. Copyright © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 58(5) : 443-
450
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Mindfulness based
therapy
Dvorakova, K., Kishida, M., Li, J., Elavsky, S., Broderick, P.
C., Agrusti, M. R., Greenberg, M. T.
OBJECTIVE: Given the importance
of developmental transitions on young adults' lives and the high rates of mental health issues among U.S. college students, first-year college
students can be particularly vulnerable to stress and adversity. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness and feasibility of mindfulness training
aiming to promote first-year college students' health and wellbeing. PARTICIPANTS: 109 freshmen were recruited from residential halls (50%
Caucasian, 66% female). Data collection was completed in November 2014. METHODS: A randomized control trial was conducted utilizing the Learning to
BREATHE (L2B) program, a universal mindfulness program adapted to match the developmental tasks of college transition. RESULTS: Participation in the
pilot intervention was associated with significant increase in students' life satisfaction, and significant decrease in depression and anxiety.
Marginally significant decrease was found for sleep issues and alcohol consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness-based programs may be an effective
strategy to enhance a healthy transition into college.
Journal of
American College Health, 65(4) : 259-267
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Mindfulness based
therapy
De-Voogd, E. L., Wiers, R. W., Salemink, E.
Anxiety and depression, which are highly prevalent in adolescence, are both characterized by a negative attentional bias. As
Attentional Bias Modification (ABM) can reduce such a bias, and might also affect emotional reactivity, it could be a promising early intervention.
However, a growing number of studies also report comparable improvements in both active and placebo groups. The current study investigated the
effects of eight online sessions of visual search (VS) ABM compared to both a VS placebo-training and a no-training control group in adolescents with
heightened symptoms of anxiety and/or depression (n = 108). Attention bias, interpretation bias, and stress-reactivity were assessed pre- and post-
training. Primary outcomes of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and secondary measures of emotional resilience were assessed pre- and post-training
and at three and six months follow-up. Results revealed that VS training reduced attentional bias compared to both control groups, with stronger
effects for participants who completed more training sessions. Irrespective of training condition, an overall reduction in symptoms of anxiety and
depression and an increase in emotional resilience were observed up to six months later. The training was evaluated relatively negatively. Results
suggest that online ABM as employed in the current study has no added value as an early intervention in adolescents with heightened symptoms.
Behaviour Research & Therapy, 92 : 57-
67
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Attention/cognitive bias
modification
Ainsworth, B., Bolderston, H., Garner, M.
BACKGROUND: Worry is a key component of anxiety and may be an effective target for
therapeutic intervention. We compared two psychological processes (attention and acceptance) on the frequency of intrusive worrying thoughts in an
experimental worry task.\rMETHOD: 77 participants were randomised across three groups and completed either a 10 min attention or acceptance-based
psychological exercise, or progressive muscle relaxation control. We subsequently measured anxiety, and the content and frequency of intrusive
thoughts before and after a 'worry induction task'.\rRESULTS: Groups did not differ in baseline worry, anxiety or thought intrusions. Both
attention and acceptance-based groups experienced fewer negative thought intrusions (post-worry) compared to the relaxation control group. The
acceptance exercise had the largest effect, preventing 'worry induction'. Increases in negative intrusive thoughts predicted subjective anxiety.
\rDISCUSSION: We provide evidence that acceptance and attention psychological exercises may reduce anxiety by reducing the negative thought
intrusions that characterise worry.
Behaviour Research & Therapy, 91 : 72-77
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Acceptance & commitment therapy
(ACT), Attention/cognitive bias
modification, Meditation
Burckhardt, R., Manicavasagar, V., Batterham, P. J., Hadzi-Pavlovic, D., Shand, F.
Background: There is a need to prevent anxiety and
depression in young people and mindfulness contains important emotion regulation strategies. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-
based therapy, has yet to be evaluated as a prevention program, but has demonstrated an ability to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult
and adolescent populations. This study examines the feasibility of using an ACT-based prevention program in a sample of year 10 (aged 14-16 years)
high school students from Sydney, Australia. Methods: Participants were allocated to either their usual classes or to the ACT-based intervention.
Participants were followed for a period of 5 months post-intervention and completed the Flourishing Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and a
program evaluation questionnaire. Analyses were completed using intention-to-treat mixed models for repeated measures. Results: The results indicated
that the intervention was acceptable to students and feasible to administer in a school setting. There were no statistically significant differences
between the conditions, likely due to the small sample size (N = 48). However, between-group effect sizes demonstrated small to large differences for
baseline to post-intervention mean scores and medium to large differences for baseline to follow-up mean scores, all favouring the ACT-based
condition. Conclusion: The results suggest that an ACT-based school program has potential as a universal prevention program and merits further
investigation in a larger trial. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Trial ID: ACTRN12616001383459. Registered
06/10/2016. Retrospectively registered. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s).
Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry and Mental Health, 11 (1) (no
pagination)(27) :
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Acceptance & commitment therapy
(ACT)
Chen, Y.F., Huang, X.Y., Chien, C.H., Cheng, J.F
Purpose: To evaluate the
effectiveness on reducing anxiety of a diaphragmatic breathing relaxation (DBR) training program. Design and methods: This experimental, pre-test-
post-test randomized controlled trial with repeated measures collected data using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and biofeedback tests for skin
conductivity, peripheral blood flow, heart rate, and breathing rate. Findings: The experimental group achieved significant reductions in Beck Anxiety
Inventory scores (p < .05), peripheral temperature (p = .026), heart rate (p = .005), and breathing rate (p = .004) over the 8-week training period.
The experimental group further achieved a significant reduction in breathing rate (p < .001). Practice implications: The findings provide guidance
for providing quality care that effectively reduces the anxiety level of care recipients in clinical and community settings. (PsycINFO Database
Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 53(4) : 329-336
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Meditation
Chorpita, B. F., Daleiden, E. L., Park, A. L., Ward, A. M., Levy, M. C., Cromley, T., Chiu, A.
W., Letamendi, A. M., Tsai, K. H., Krull, J. L.
OBJECTIVE: This study reports outcomes from a randomized effectiveness trial testing
modular treatment versus multiple community-implemented evidence-based treatments for youth.\rMETHOD: An ethnoracially diverse sample of 138 youth
ages 5 to 15 (62 girls, 76 boys) whose primary clinical concerns involved diagnoses or clinical elevations related to anxiety, depression, disruptive
behavior, and/or traumatic stress were treated by community therapists randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: (a) modular treatment, which involved
a single modular protocol (i.e., modular approach to therapy for children; MATCH) that allowed flexible selection and sequencing of procedures to fit
the chosen treatment focus in the context of measurement feedback, and (b) community-implemented treatment (CIT), which was a county-supported
implementation of multiple evidence-based practices for youth.\rRESULTS: Youth treated with MATCH showed significantly faster rates of improvement
over time on clinical and functional outcomes relative to youth in the CIT condition and required significantly fewer sessions delivered over
significantly fewer days. Caregiver-reported clinical improvement rates were significantly greater for MATCH (60%) versus CIT (36.7%). Further, youth
in the CIT condition were significantly more likely to receive additional psychosocial treatment services and were significantly more likely to use a
variety of psychotropic medications during the active treatment phase.\rCONCLUSIONS: These results extend prior findings, supporting the
effectiveness and efficiency of a modular, multifocus approach that incorporates monitoring and feedback relative to community implementation of
evidence-based treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record
Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 85(1) : 13
-25
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Other service delivery and improvement
interventions
Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Carr, A.
C., Mainvil, L. A., Vissers, M. C. M.
This study tested the
psychological benefits of a 14-day preregistered clinical intervention to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in 171 low-FV-consuming young
adults (67% female, aged 18-25). Participants were randomly assigned into a diet-as-usual control condition, an ecological momentary intervention
(EMI) condition involving text message reminders to increase their FV consumption plus a voucher to purchase FV, or a fruit and vegetable
intervention (FVI) condition in which participants were given two additional daily servings of fresh FV to consume on top of their normal diet.
Self-report outcome measures were depressive symptoms and anxiety measured pre- and post-intervention, and daily negative and positive mood,
vitality, flourishing, and flourishing behaviors (curiosity, creativity, motivation) assessed nightly using a smartphone survey. Vitamin C and
carotenoids were measured from blood samples pre- and post-intervention, and psychological expectancies about the benefits of FV were measured post-
intervention to test as mediators of psychological change. Only participants in the FVI condition showed improvements to their psychological well-
being with increases in vitality, flourishing, and motivation across the 14-days relative to the other groups. No changes were found for depressive
symptoms, anxiety, or mood. Intervention benefits were not mediated by vitamin C, carotenoids, or psychological expectancies. We conclude that
providing young adults with high-quality FV, rather than reminding them to eat more FV (with a voucher to purchase FV), resulted in significant
short-term improvements to their psychological well-being. These results provide initial proof-of-concept that giving young adults fresh fruit and
vegetables to eat can have psychological benefits even over a brief period of time. Copyright © 2017 Conner et al. This is an open access article
distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
PLoS ONE, 12 (2) (no
pagination)(e0171206) :
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Service Delivery & Improvement, Dietary advice, dietary change, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Caporino, N.
Objectives: Childhood anxiety is an early risk factor for depression and
suicidality. However, extant data on mood concerns following anxiety treatment in youth are limited. This study examines rates of mood disorders and
suicidality among individuals who received anxiety treatment as children/adolescents and evaluates potential predictors of the following long-term
mood outcomes: 1) anxiety treatment type; 2) short-term treatment response; 3) baseline child and family characteristics; and 4) negative life
events. Methods: Participants (N = 319) had been randomized to 12 weeks of CBT, sertraline, their combination, or pill placebo in the
Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study. Beginning six to nine years after randomization, assessments were completed annually over four years and
included the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (administered by independent evaluators to assess mood disorders) and self- and parent-
report measures. Results: Approximately one-fifth of individuals had a mood disorder, and onethird reported suicidal thoughts during the follow-up
period. Treatment assignment and short-term treatment response did not predict subsequent mood disorder or suicidality status. Pretreatment anxiety
severity, parental distress, family functioning, and comorbid externalizing problems, as well as negative life events, predicted one or more long-
term mood outcomes. Conclusions: Rates of mood disorders following anxiety treatment in youth aligned with rates previously reported for the general
population (compared with higher rates among individuals with untreated anxiety). Attention to comorbid psychopathology and parent/family functioning
may be important for improving long-term outcomes of anxiety treatment, and maintenance care should address coping with negative life events.
Journal of the American Academy of Child
and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56 (10) : S318
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)