Disorders - Anxiety Disorders
Lowther, H., Newman, E.
Background Attention Bias Modification (ABM) is a novel computer based treatment for anxiety
disorders. It has been proposed as an efficient, accessible psychological therapy and is based on cognitive theories of attention. The present review
sought to investigate the efficacy of ABM as a potential treatment for child and adolescent anxiety. Method A systematic literature review was
conducted, using three main databases, PsycINFO, Embase and Medline, to identify original research articles which measured the effect of ABM on
anxiety levels in children and/or adolescents. Results Ten articles met the inclusion criteria and of these 10, three were randomised control trials.
A lack of standardisation in relation to the treatment protocol was observed; nonetheless the identified studies generally provided evidence for the
efficacy of ABM as an anxiety treatment. Limitations Due to the nature of the studies found, a statistical meta-analysis was not possible.
Conclusions ABM seems to be a promising, novel treatment for child and/or adolescent anxiety disorders with merits over lengthier, talking based
therapies. However, more rigorous research trials are needed to clarify the mechanisms behind ABM and establish effective, standardised treatment
protocols. (copyright) 2014 Elsevier B.V.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 168 : 125-135
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Attention/cognitive bias
modification
Lundkvist-Houndoumadi, I., Hougaard, E., Thastum, M.
Background: Cognitive
behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found to be effective for children and adolescents (6-18 years) with anxiety disorders, but the non-response rate
is high-a fact that may argue for the importance of studies on pre-treatment characteristics of children and their families that predict treatment
outcome. Aims: To provide a systematic review of clinical and demographic pre-treatment child and family predictors of treatment outcome in CBT for
anxiety disorders in youth. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted based on electronic databases (PsycINFO, Embase and PubMed), and
retrieved studies were analysed according to the box-score method of counting significant findings. Results: 24 studies with a sample size (greater-
than or equal to) 60 were located. Most studies dealt with the following predictors: child age, gender, comorbidity, symptom severity and parental
psychopathology. There was some evidence that a higher degree of pre-treatment symptomatic severity and non-anxiety comorbidity predicted higher
end-state severity, but not a lesser degree of improvement. There was some but inconsistent support for a negative influence of parental
psychopathology. Conclusion: Studies on pre-treatment child and family predictors of outcome in CBT for youth anxiety disorders have until now
resulted in few findings of clinical or theoretical significance.
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 68(8) : 524-
535
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Langford, R., Bonell, CP., Jones, HE., Pouliou, T., Murphy, SM., Waters, E., Komro, KA., Gibbs LF., Magnus, D., Campbell, R.
Background: The World Health Organization's (WHO's)
Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework is an holistic, settings-based approach to promoting health and educational attainment in school. The
effectiveness of this approach has not been previously rigorously reviewed.Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of the Health Promoting Schools
(HPS) framework in improving the health and well-being of students and their academic achievement.Search methods: We searched the following
electronic databases in January 2011 and again in March and April 2013: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE,
PsycINFO, CINAHL, Campbell Library, ASSIA, BiblioMap, CAB Abstracts, IBSS, Social Science Citation Index, Sociological Abstracts, TRoPHI, Global
Health Database, SIGLE, Australian Education Index, British Education Index, Education Resources Information Centre, Database of Education Research,
Dissertation Express, Index to Theses in Great Britain and Ireland, ClinicalTrials.gov, Current controlled trials, and WHO International Clinical
Trials Registry Platform. We also searched relevant websites, handsearched reference lists, and used citation tracking to identify other relevant
articles.Selection criteria: We included cluster-randomised controlled trials where randomisation took place at the level of school, district or
other geographical area. Participants were children and young people aged four to 18 years, attending schools or colleges. In this review, we define
HPS interventions as comprising the following three elements: input to the curriculum; changes to the school's ethos or environment or both; and
engagement with families or communities, or both. We compared this intervention against schools that implemented either no intervention or continued
with their usual practice, or any programme that included just one or two of the above mentioned HPS elements.Data collection and analysis: At least
two review authors identified relevant trials, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias in the trials. We grouped different types of interventions
according to the health topic targeted or the approach used, or both. Where data permitted, we performed random-effects meta-analyses to provide a
summary of results across studies.Main results: We included 67 eligible cluster trials, randomising 1443 schools or districts. This is made up of
1345 schools and 98 districts. The studies tackled a range of health issues: physical activity (4), nutrition (12), physical activity and nutrition
combined (18), bullying (7), tobacco (5), alcohol (2), sexual health (2), violence (2), mental health (2), hand-washing (2), multiple risk behaviours
(7), cycle-helmet use (1), eating disorders (1), sun protection (1), and oral health (1). The quality of evidence overall was low to moderate as
determined by the GRADE approach. 'Risk of bias' assessments identified methodological limitations, including heavy reliance on self-reported data
and high attrition rates for some studies. In addition, there was a lack of long-term follow-up data for most studies.We found positive effects for
some interventions for: body mass index (BMI), physical activity, physical fitness, fruit and vegetable intake, tobacco use, and being bullied.
Intervention effects were generally small but have the potential to produce public health benefits at the population level. We found little evidence
of effectiveness for standardised body mass index (zBMI) and no evidence of effectiveness for fat intake, alcohol use, drug use, mental health,
violence and bullying others; however, only a small number of studies focused on these latter outcomes. It was not possible to meta-analyse data on
other health outcomes due to lack of data. Few studies provided details on adverse events or outcomes related to the interventions. In addition, few
studies included any academic, attendance or school-related outcomes. We therefore cannot draw any clear conclusions as to the effectiveness of this
approach for improving academic achievement.Authors' conclusions: The resu ts of this review provide evidence for the effectiveness of some
interventions based on the HPS framework for improving certain health outcomes but not others. More well-designed research is required to establish
the effectiveness of this approach for other health topics and academic achievement.
Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews, (4) : CD008959
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders, Eating Disorders
(any), Substance Use Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement
Monti, F., Tonetti, L., Bitti, P. E. R.
The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural (CBT) and
psychodynamic (PDT) therapies in the treatment of anxiety among university students. To this aim, the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) was completed by 30
students assigned to CBT and by 24 students assigned to PDT, both at the beginning and at the end of treatment. The main problem presented by all
patients was anxiety. Except for one sub-scale, we observed significant differences in the scores of all sub-scales and scales of SQ, with lower
scores at the end of the therapy, indicating lower distress, regardless of the type of treatment. The present findings suggest that both therapies
are effective in the treatment of anxiety among university students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). (journal
abstract)
British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 42(3) : 233-
244
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Psychodynamic/Psychoanalysis
Manassis, K., Lee, T. C., Bennett, K., Zhao, X. Y., Mendlowitz, S., Duda, S., Saini, M., Wilansky, P., Baer, S., Barrett, P., Bodden, D., Cobham, V. E., Dadds, M. R., Flannery-Schroeder, E., Ginsburg, G., Heyne, D., Hudson, J.
L., Kendall, P. C., Liber, J., Masia-Warner, C., Nauta, M. H., Rapee, R. M., Silverman, W., Siqueland,
L., Spence, S. H., Utens, E., Wood, J. J.
Objective: Meta-
analytic studies have not confirmed that involving parents in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for anxious children is therapeutically beneficial.
There is also great heterogeneity in the type of parental involvement included. We investigated parental involvement focused on contingency
management (CM) and transfer of control (TC) as a potential outcome moderator using a meta-analysis with individual patient data. Method:
Investigators of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CBT for anxious children, identified systematically, were invited to submit their data.
Conditions in each RCT were coded based on type of parental involvement in CBT (i.e., low involvement, active involvement without emphasis on CM or
TC, active involvement with emphasis on CM or TC). Treatment outcomes were compared using a 1-stage meta-analysis. Results: All cases involved in
active treatment (894 of 1,618) were included for subgroup analyses. Across all CBT groups, means of clinical severity, anxiety, and internalizing
symptoms significantly decreased posttreatment and were comparable across groups. The group without emphasis on CM or TC showed a higher proportion
with posttreatment anxiety diagnoses than the low-involvement group. Between posttreatment and 1-year follow-up, the proportion with anxiety
diagnoses significantly decreased in CBT with active parental involvement with emphasis on CM or TC, whereas treatment gains were merely maintained
in the other 2 groups. Conclusions: CBT for anxious children is an effective treatment with or without active parental involvement. However, CBT with
active parental involvement emphasizing CM or TC may support long-term maintenance of treatment gains. Results should be replicated as additional
RCTs are published. (PsycINFO Database Record (copyright) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).
Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, :
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Contingency
management
Pereira, A. I., Marques,
T., Russo, V., Barros, L., Barrett, P.
The FRIENDS for Life program is a cognitive -
behavioral group program that targets anxiety in children. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the Portuguese version
of the FRIENDS for Life Program, which was implemented in schools to reduce anxiety problems in a group of highly anxious children. The study used a
quasi-experimental research design with two groups of children, an intervention (n = 17) and a wait-list control group (n = 21), aged 8 to 12 years
old. The impact of the program in reducing anxiety symptoms as assessed by children and mothers was analyzed through the Screen for Child Anxiety
Related Emotional Disorders-Revised (SCARED-R). The results show a statistically significant post intervention effect on anxiety symptoms evaluated
by the child, but not by the mother. The implications of these results for the prevention of anxiety disorders in Portuguese schools are discussed.
(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)
Psychology in the Schools, 51(6) : 647-
657
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions
Mungas,
R., Silverman, M. J.
Researchers have found recreational music making to have positive impacts and that active music-making may have benefits that
extend beyond passive music listening or receptive music-based interventions. The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of a
single 45-min group-based wellness drumming session on the affective states of university students. Participants (N= 50) were undergraduate and
graduate university students from a variety of majors. Students in beginning classical guitar classes served as control participants. Experimental
participants received a 45-min group-based wellness drumming protocol. The researchers utilized the Quick Mood Scale at pre- and posttest to assess a
number of state affective components and collected qualitative data in the form of post-session comments to determine participants' perceptions of
the wellness drumming intervention. Results indicated statistically significant between-group posttest differences for wide awake/drowsy,
relaxed/anxious, cheerful/depressed, friendly/aggressive, and clear-headed/confused. In all affective variables, the experimental condition had
higher posttest means than the control condition. General results of this controlled effectiveness study tended to support the use of group wellness
drumming based on the specific wellness drumming protocol for university students. Implications for on-campus wellness programs, limitations of the
study, and suggestions for future research are included. (copyright) 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(3) : 287-
292
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art
Li, C., Chu, F., Wang, H., Wang, X. P.
Introduction: High stress levels and
mental health problems are common among medical students. Behavioral interventions aimed at preventing mental health problems among medical students
have been recommended in managing stress during their study period. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of Williams LifeSkills training
(WLST) for improving psychological health of Chinese medical students. Methods: Sixty medical students were chosen as the study group (n=30) and the
control group (n=30). The study group completed the 8-week WLST, while the controls did not take any training course. All subjects were assessed
before and after the 8-week training period using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Trait Coping Style
Questionnaire (TCSQ), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) and Self-Esteem Scale (SES). The data of 29 students in the study group and 26
students in the control group were qualified for statistical analysis in the current study. Results: Group-time interactions were significant for the
ISEL total (P=0.008), ISEL appraisal (P=0.002), SES (P=0.002), SAS (P=0.005) and SDS (P=0.032). Post-hoc paired Student's t-tests showed that all
these measures improved significantly (P<0.05) in the study group but were unchanged in the control group. Discussion: In our study, a behavioral
intervention - WLST - improved psychological health of the study group. If confirmed in further trials, these results suggest that WLST could be a
means of improving mental health of medical students as well as other groups in China. (copyright) 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
Asia-Pacific Psychiatry, 6(2) : 161-
169
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Skills training, Other Psychological Interventions
Manicavasagar, V., Horswood, D., Burckhardt, R., Lum, A., Hadzi-Pavlovic, D., Parker, G.
RESULTS: Of the 235 randomized participants, 154 (65.5%) completed
baseline and post measures after 6 weeks. Completers and dropouts were equivalent in demographics, the SWEMWBS, and the depression and anxiety
subscales of the DASS-21, but dropouts reported significantly higher levels of stress than completers. There were no differences between the Bite
Back and control conditions at baseline on demographic variables, DASS-21, or SWEMWBS scores. Qualitative data indicated that 49 of 61 Bite Back
users (79%) reported positive experiences using the website and 55 (89%) agreed they would continue to use it after study completion. Compared to the
control condition, participants in the Bite Back condition with high levels of adherence (usage of the website for 30 minutes or more per week)
reported significant decreases in depression and stress and improvements in well-being. Bite Back users who visited the site more frequently
((greater-than or equal to)3 times per week) reported significant decreases in depression and anxiety and improvements in well-being. No significant
improvements were found among Bite Back users who demonstrated low levels of adherence or who used the website less frequently.\rCONCLUSIONS: Results
suggest that using an online positive psychology program can decrease symptoms of psychopathology and increase well-being in young people, especially
for those who use the website for 30 minutes or longer per week or more frequently ((greater-than or equal to)3 times per week). Acceptability of the
Bite Back website was high. These findings are encouraging and suggest that the online delivery of positive psychology programs may be an alternate
way to address mental health issues and improve youth well-being nationally.\rTRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry:
ACTRN1261200057831; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=362489 (Archived by Webcite at
http://www.webcitation.org/6NXmjwfAy).\rBACKGROUND: Youth mental health is a significant public health concern due to the high prevalence of mental
health problems in this population and the low rate of those affected seeking help. While it is increasingly recognized that prevention is better
than cure, most youth prevention programs have utilized interventions based on clinical treatments (eg, cognitive behavioral therapy) with
inconsistent results.\rOBJECTIVE: This study explores the feasibility of the online delivery of a youth positive psychology program, Bite Back, to
improve the well-being and mental health outcomes of Australian youth. Further aims were to examine rates of adherence and attrition, and to
investigate the program's acceptability.\rMETHODS: Participants (N=235) aged 12-18 years were randomly assigned to either of two conditions: Bite
Back (n=120) or control websites (n=115). The Bite Back website comprised interactive exercises and information across a variety of positive
psychology domains; the control condition was assigned to neutral entertainment-based websites that contained no psychology information. Participants
in both groups were instructed to use their allocated website for 6 consecutive weeks. Participants were assessed pre- and postintervention on the
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-Short form (DASS-21) and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS).
Journal of Medical Internet
Research, 16(6) : e140
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Positive
psychology, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Masi, G., Milone, A., Paciello, M., Lenzi, F., Muratori, P., Manfredi, A., Polidori, L., Ruglioni, L., Lochman, J. E., Muratori, F.
Disruptive
Behavior Disorders (DBDs) are among the most common reasons for youth referrals to mental health clinics. Aim of this study is to compare short and
medium term efficacy of a multimodal treatment program (MTP), compared to community care (treatment-as-usual, TAU). The sample included 135 youths
with DBDs (113 males, age range 9-15 years, mean age 12±2.5 years) were assigned either to a MTP (n=64), or addressed to community care for a TAU
(n=71). Outcome measures were the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and the Children's Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS). All subjects were assessed at
the baseline (T0), after 1-year treatment (T1) and after a 2-year follow-up (T2). Compared with patients receiving TAU, youths in the MTP showed,
both at T1 and T2, significantly lower scores on CBCL Externalizing Scale, Internalizing Scale, Anxious/Depressed, Social Problems, and Aggressive
Behavior, and higher scores at the C-GAS. Improvement in Internalizing Scales was particularly evident, with a shift from the clinical to the non-
clinical range. Rate of use of mental health services and scholastic failure were reduced in the MTP. It is suggested that the improvement of the
Internalizing symptoms is a crucial component of the therapeutic process in this MTP.; Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights
reserved.
Psychiatry Research, 219(3) : 617-
624
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions
Hartling, L., Milne, A., Tjosvold, L., Wrightson, D., Gallivan, J., Newton, A. S.
Methods:
Twenty electronic databases were searched. Study selection, data extraction and assessment of methodological quality were performed by two
independent reviewers.\rResults: Five controlled and nine uncontrolled studies were included. In higher-quality controlled trials, benefits of
sibling-oriented care included reduced anxiety, improved mood and behavioural adjustment; however, these findings were not consistently demonstrated
across studies. Study differences made it difficult to determine which sibling care features were most salient. Conclusions: Study findings highlight
the potential for enhancing emotional and behavioural outcomes in well siblings. Future evaluations need to clearly identify the intended purpose of
the care (what improvements are intended) and which types of siblings are most likely to benefit. This approach may yield more consistent and
clinically important results.\rAim: Chronic illness or disability in children can have a deleterious effect on the psychosocial health of well
siblings. This systematic review synthesised evidence from studies evaluating sibling-oriented care aimed at improving behavioural and emotional
outcomes in well siblings of children with chronic illness or disability.
Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health, 50(10) : E26-
E38
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any)
Kjobli,
J., Naerde, A., Bjornebekk, G., Askeland, E.
Brief Parent Training (BPT) promotes effective parenting in parents of children with conduct problems.
As previous research has provided inconsistent results, this study explored the impact of maternal mental distress on outcomes of BPT. Method:
Participants included 216 families randomized to BPT or a comparison group. Results: Maternal distress negatively predicted five of eight outcomes,
regardless of intervention allocation. Low-maternal distress predicted lower conduct problems (parent- and teacher-reported), whereas high distress
predicted higher teacher-reported conduct problems in BPT relative to comparisons. Conclusions: Refinement of interventions to help children with
conduct problems and distressed mothers should be prioritized. (copyright) 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 19(3) : 171-
177
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions