Development and evaluation of a broad-spectrum cognitive-behavioral group therapy for anxiety

This study involved the development and outcome evaluation of a cognitive-behavioral group treatment program for anxiety disorder using a randomized controlled design. This treatment program deviated from traditional anxiety disorder treatment protocols in that anxiety diagnosis was de-emphasized and treatment focused on shared common features across the anxiety disorders. Twenty-three participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either immediate or delayed treatment conditions. Nine randomly assigned participants representing a range of anxiety diagnoses completed the 12-week group treatment, and were compared with 10 delayed-treatment control participants who stayed in the study during the delay period. Participants in the two conditions were compared on change in diagnosis, diagnostic severity, self-report fear on ideographic measures, and self-report questionnaires of anxiety and negative affectivity. Results were generally supportive of the efficacy of the treatment program. Compared to controls participants, those receiving treatment showed significantly greater improvement on diagnostic measures and ideographic fear-avoidance hierarchies. Data from self-report measures of anxiety and negative affect were less supportive of the treatment efficacy. Implications for emerging conceptualizations of anxiety disorders, as well as implications for treatment and treatment dissemination, are discussed.