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Cognitive Behavior Therapy Targeting Intolerance of Uncertainty Versus Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2021

Mehdi Zemestani Open the ORCID record for Mehdi Zemestani [Opens in a new window] ,
Negar Beheshti ,
Farzin Rezaei ,
Colin van der Heiden  and
Philip C. Kendall
Mehdi Zemestani*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
Negar Beheshti
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
Farzin Rezaei
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Neuroscience Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Colin van der Heiden
Affiliation:
Outpatient Treatment Centre PsyQ & Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Philip C. Kendall
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Mehdi Zemestani, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Given the high prevalence and adverse outcomes associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), development and expansion of effective treatment modalities are important. The present study compared the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy targeting intolerance of uncertainty (CBT-IU) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for treating GAD. A total of 30 Iranian patients with GAD (Mage = 25.16 ± 6.73) were randomised to receive either CBT-IU (n = 15) or SSRI (n = 15). Measures included the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Why Worry-II (WW-II), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS), and Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire (NPOQ). Repeated measures analysis of variance tested differential treatment outcomes. The results of intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis indicated that although both CBT-IU and SSRI were effective treatments for GAD, CBT-IU produced significantly better results than SSRI at post-treatment. This clinical trial provides preliminary cross-cultural support for the treatment of GAD using CBT-IU, with findings suggesting that this non-medication intervention reduces GAD symptoms.

Keywords

CBTgeneralized anxiety disorderintolerance of uncertaintypharmacotherapyselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
Type
Standard Paper
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 38 , Issue 4 , December 2021 , pp. 250 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy

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