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 .
Treatment of generalised anxiety disorder with a short course of psychological therapy, combined with buspirone or placebo.
BACKGROUND Very few studies have examined the combination of drug and psychological treatment in generalised anxiety disorder ( GAD ) . Theoretically , buspirone should be a useful drug to combine with a learning-based therapy . METHODS Sixty patients with GAD were r and omly assigned to treatment with buspirone or placebo , combined with anxiety management training or non-directive therapy for a period of 8 weeks . RESULTS Forty-four patients with a mean Hamilton Anxiety Scale score of 28 completed treatment . There were no significant differences between treatment groups . All groups showed significant improvement after 8 weeks compared to baseline . There were no baseline differences between those who completed the trial and those who did not but patients given buspirone were more likely to drop out . CONCLUSIONS A short course of psychological therapy , whether or not accompanied by active medication , was an effective treatment for patients diagnosed as having quite severe symptoms of GAD . CLINICAL IMPLICATION S AND LIMITATIONS : Dropouts led to a sample size which may have been too small to detect group differences . Cognitive therapy may have been more effective
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 .