Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in older adults. |
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Authors: | Wetherell, Julie Loebach Gatz, Margaret Craske, Michelle G. |
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Abstract: | Older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; N=75; M age=67.1 years) were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a discussion group (DG) organized around worry provoking topics, or a waiting period. Participants in both active conditions improved relative to the waiting list. Although CBT participants improved on more measures than DG participants, the authors found only 1 significant difference immediately after treatment and no differences at 6-month follow-up. Effect sizes were smaller than in younger samples, but CBT showed large effects and DG showed medium-sized effects. Overall, results indicate that brief treatment of late-life GAD is beneficial, but they provide only limited support for the superiority of CBT to a credible comparison intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
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Keywords: | generalized anxiety disorder cognitive-behavioral therapy discussion group older adults |
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