Distance-Based Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for High Anxiety Sensitivity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Dalhousie University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anxiety Sensitivity

Treatments: Other: Distance-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01194765

DAL10-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

Anxiety disorders are common pervasive conditions with serious psychosocial implications. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is one individual characteristic that has been implicated in the onset and maintenance of anxiety disorders (Schmidt et al., 1999). AS is an enduring fear of anxiety-related arousal sensations (i.e., increased heart rate) that arises from the tendency to interpret these sensations catastrophically, believing that they will have serious physical, psychological, or social consequences (Reiss, 1991).

Research has shown the efficacy of CBT in decreasing AS among women with high AS (Watt et al., 2006). Unfortunately, access to effective psychological treatments is limited by a number of barriers such as a lack of treatment availability or qualified clinicians in an area. As such, we are conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the effectiveness of a distance-based CBT program on decreasing AS among those with high AS. A distance delivery approach (e.g., via telephone) is one way to minimize treatment barriers and increase access to care while still delivering empirically supported treatment. Recent research suggests distance delivery is promising (Lovell et al., 2006).

The RCT will consist of an eight-week structured CBT program based on Watt and Stewart's (2008) brief CBT for AS. The program will include weekly modules on psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, interoceptive exposure, and relapse prevention. Participants with high AS will be recruited and randomly assigned to the treatment condition or wait-list control (after twelve weeks the wait-list group will receive treatment). In the treatment condition, participants will be assigned weekly reading and homework from the treatment manual. In addition, a therapist will guide them through the treatment by providing individualized support and feedback through weekly half-hour telephone sessions. Treatment outcomes will be assessed through changes in AS levels and anxiety symptoms pre- to post-treatment. Also, participants' satisfaction with the mode of treatment delivery will be assessed. We hypothesize that this treatment program will be effective in reducing high AS and anxiety symptom frequency and severity. We also expect this project to yield information about the utility of distance treatment delivery for mental health care.

Enrollment: 180 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• over 18 years of age
• high anxiety sensitivity

Exclusion criteria

• cannot speak English
• illiteracy
• poor physical health (i.e., inadvisable to participate in physical exercise)
• engaged in another form of psychotherapy
• using pharmacotherapy for less than 3 months
• anyone who changes dose or type of pharmacotherapy during study
• psychosis
• suicidal ideation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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180 participants in 2 patient groups

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Distance-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Waiting List

No Intervention group