Psychological therapy based on CBT principles is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms for short-term treatment of GAD .
The body of evidence comparing CBT with other psychological therapies is small and heterogeneous , which precludes drawing conclusions about which psychological therapy is more effective .
BACKGROUND Generalised anxiety disorder ( GAD ) is a highly prevalent condition , characterised by excessive worry or anxiety about everyday events and problems .
The effectiveness and effectiveness of psychological therapies as a group has not yet been evaluated in the treatment of GAD .
OBJECTIVES To examine the efficacy and acceptability of psychological therapies , categorised as cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT ) , psychodynamic therapy and supportive therapy , compared with treatment as usual/waiting list ( TAU/WL ) and compared with one another , for patients with GAD .
Anxiety management and applied relaxation in reducing general anxiety.
Abstract Sixty-three generally anxious subjects were assigned to anxiety management training , applied relaxation training , relaxation-only , placebo and untreated control conditions . After 6 weeks of treatment , anxiety management training led to reductions on a variety of self-report measures of state and trait anxiety and decreases in maladaptive cognitions during a laboratory stress procedure . On several measures , subjects in anxiety management training differed from relaxation-only and placebo subjects as well as untreated controls . However , treatment effects did not extend to performance and physiological measures of anxiety .  Applied relaxation training , which in contrast to anxiety management training lacks structured rehearsal involving the recognition and reduction of tension cues during the treatment sessions , result ed in less consistent decreases in measures of general anxiety
Psychological therapy based on CBT principles is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms for short-term treatment of GAD .
The body of evidence comparing CBT with other psychological therapies is small and heterogeneous , which precludes drawing conclusions about which psychological therapy is more effective .
BACKGROUND Generalised anxiety disorder ( GAD ) is a highly prevalent condition , characterised by excessive worry or anxiety about everyday events and problems .
The effectiveness and effectiveness of psychological therapies as a group has not yet been evaluated in the treatment of GAD .
OBJECTIVES To examine the efficacy and acceptability of psychological therapies , categorised as cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT ) , psychodynamic therapy and supportive therapy , compared with treatment as usual/waiting list ( TAU/WL ) and compared with one another , for patients with GAD .