Disorders - Anxiety Disorders
De-Vries, E., Van-Schrojenstein-Lantman, M., Hoebregts, V., MacKus, M., Garssen, J., Verster, J. C., Scholey, A.
Introduction: Relative to a regular "Western" diet, a Mediterranean diet is characterized by a higher intake of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, and a lower intake of meat and dairy products (except long-preservable cheeses) [1] Whereas an increasing body of scientific literature is devoted to the effects of having a Mediterranean diet on general health and physical functioning, less research has been conducted to examine the association with mood and mental health. Aim: The aim of the current single-blind, parallel group study was to examine the effects of a 10-day Mediterranean dietary intervention on mood. Methods: Fifty-three young female adults within the age of 18-38 (M = 22.25, SD = 3.62) were randomly assigned to either the control group or the dietary intervention group. Those in the diet treatment group had to adhere to the Mediterranean diet, which is typically dense in nutrients. On their baseline visit, participants completed a demographic questionnaire, had physical measure ments taken, completed the food frequency questionnaire, and completed Bond-Lader visual analogue scales assessing alertness, calmness, and being content. Mood was further assessed by completion of the profiles of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, including subscales on tension/anxiety, anger/hostility, fatigue/inertia, vigour/activity, and confusion/bewilderment. Also, a total mood disturbances score was computed. Food intake was recorded daily over the 10-day period (using a food diary). Assessments were made on Day 1, Day 5, and Day10. Using SPSS (Version 24), GLM for repeated measures was used to compare mood outcome measures of the two groups over time. Post-hoc tests compared pre-and post-treatment data within the Mediterranean diet group and within the control group. Effects were significant if p < 0.05. Results: A significant Treatment x Time interaction was found for POMS subscale scores of tension/anxiety (p = 0.001), anger/hostility (0.014), fatigue/inertia (p = 0.003), confusion/bewilder ment (p = 0.015), vigour/activity (p < 0.001), and the total mood disturbances score. No significant Treatment x Time interaction was found on the POMS subscale depression/rejection (p = 0.126). Relative to Day 1, in the Mediterranean diet group on Day 10 scores on the POMS subscales tension/anxiety, anger/hostility, fatigue/inertia, confusion/bewilderment and the total mood disturbances score were significantly lower (p < 0.05), whereas vigour/activity scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05). No significant pre-and post-treatment differences were seen in the control group. A. significant Treatment x Time interaction was also seen for Bond Lader scores on alertness (p = 0.003) and being content (p = 0.001). Relative to Day 1, these scores were significantly higher on Day 10 in the Mediterranean diet group (p < 0.05). This effect was not seen in the control group. Conclusion: This study suggests that switching to a Mediterranean diet for just 10 days is associated with significant positive mood effects, including significantly increased levels of alertness being content, and increased vigour/activity, and reduced feelings of anxiety, anger, fatigue, and confusion. Further research is warranted to examine the long-term effect of Mediterranean diet and its specific components on health and mood.
European Neuropsychopharmacology, 27 (Supplement 4) : S879-S880
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Dietary advice, dietary change
Gholami-Tahsini, Z., Makvand-Hosseini, S., Kianersi, F., Rashn, S., Majdara, E.
The main aim of the present research was to determine the effectiveness of biofeedback-aided relaxation training (BFRT) for alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress for undergraduate students as they prepared for their final examinations. In a randomized controlled trial design, 29 male and female students, with heightened levels of depression, anxiety and stress scores on the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, were chosen and randomly assigned to BFRT or a no-treatment control condition. Subjects assigned to BFRT received eight sessions of BFRT spaced over 4 weeks, during which they were trained to decrease electromyography (EMG) and respiration rate (RESP) and to increase skin temperature (TEMP). Data were extracted and analyzed by GLM statistical analysis. Students receiving BFRT revealed significant reductions in symptoms when compared to the untreated controls. Those receiving BFRT also showed significant changes for the three targeted psychophysiological modalities (EMG, RESP, and TEMP). It was concluded that BFRT can be useful for reducing symptoms of emotional disturbance in undergraduate students during a particularly stressful period and that this may, in turn, help promote overall psychological health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 42(4) : 299-307
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Biofeedback, neurofeedback, audio/video feedback, Relaxation
Dundas, I., Binder, P. E., Hansen, T. G. B., Stige, S. H.
The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of a two-week self-compassion course on healthy self-regulation (personal growth self-efficacy and healthy impulse control) and unhealthy self-regulation (self-judgment and habitual negative self-directed thinking) in university students. We also examined the effects on self-compassion, anxiety and depression. Students (N = 158, 85% women, mean age = 25 years) were randomized to an intervention group and a waiting-list control group in a multi-baseline randomized control trial. Healthy self-control was measured by the Personal Growth Initiative Scale (PGIS) and the Self-Control Scale; unhealthy self-control was measured by the Non-judgement subscale from the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (reversed) and the Habit Index of Negative Thinking (HINT). Secondary outcomes were measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-trait), the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). A 2 x 3 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed gains for the intervention-group in personal growth self-efficacy and healthy impulse-control and reductions in self-judgment and habitual negative self-directed thinking, as well as increases in self-compassion and reductions in anxiety and depression. After all participants had completed the course, the groups were combined and repeated measures ANOVAs showed that changes remained at six-month follow-up for personal growth self-efficacy, self-judgment and habitual negative self-directed thinking; as well as for self-compassion, anxiety and depression. Concluding, a short self-compassion course seems an effective method of increasing self-compassion and perceived control over one's life for university students, as well as increasing mental health. Copyright © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 58(5) : 443-450
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Mindfulness based therapy
Dvorakova, K., Kishida, M., Li, J., Elavsky, S., Broderick, P. C., Agrusti, M. R., Greenberg, M. T.
OBJECTIVE: Given the importance of developmental transitions on young adults' lives and the high rates of mental health issues among U.S. college students, first-year college students can be particularly vulnerable to stress and adversity. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness and feasibility of mindfulness training aiming to promote first-year college students' health and wellbeing. PARTICIPANTS: 109 freshmen were recruited from residential halls (50% Caucasian, 66% female). Data collection was completed in November 2014. METHODS: A randomized control trial was conducted utilizing the Learning to BREATHE (L2B) program, a universal mindfulness program adapted to match the developmental tasks of college transition. RESULTS: Participation in the pilot intervention was associated with significant increase in students' life satisfaction, and significant decrease in depression and anxiety. Marginally significant decrease was found for sleep issues and alcohol consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness-based programs may be an effective strategy to enhance a healthy transition into college.
Journal of American College Health, 65(4) : 259-267
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy
De-Voogd, E. L., Wiers, R. W., Salemink, E.
Anxiety and depression, which are highly prevalent in adolescence, are both characterized by a negative attentional bias. As Attentional Bias Modification (ABM) can reduce such a bias, and might also affect emotional reactivity, it could be a promising early intervention. However, a growing number of studies also report comparable improvements in both active and placebo groups. The current study investigated the effects of eight online sessions of visual search (VS) ABM compared to both a VS placebo-training and a no-training control group in adolescents with heightened symptoms of anxiety and/or depression (n = 108). Attention bias, interpretation bias, and stress-reactivity were assessed pre- and post-training. Primary outcomes of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and secondary measures of emotional resilience were assessed pre- and post-training and at three and six months follow-up. Results revealed that VS training reduced attentional bias compared to both control groups, with stronger effects for participants who completed more training sessions. Irrespective of training condition, an overall reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression and an increase in emotional resilience were observed up to six months later. The training was evaluated relatively negatively. Results suggest that online ABM as employed in the current study has no added value as an early intervention in adolescents with heightened symptoms.
Behaviour Research & Therapy, 92 : 57-67
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Attention/cognitive bias modification
Ainsworth, B., Bolderston, H., Garner, M.
BACKGROUND: Worry is a key component of anxiety and may be an effective target for therapeutic intervention. We compared two psychological processes (attention and acceptance) on the frequency of intrusive worrying thoughts in an experimental worry task.
METHOD: 77 participants were randomised across three groups and completed either a 10 min attention or acceptance-based psychological exercise, or progressive muscle relaxation control. We subsequently measured anxiety, and the content and frequency of intrusive thoughts before and after a 'worry induction task'.
RESULTS: Groups did not differ in baseline worry, anxiety or thought intrusions. Both attention and acceptance-based groups experienced fewer negative thought intrusions (post-worry) compared to the relaxation control group. The acceptance exercise had the largest effect, preventing 'worry induction'. Increases in negative intrusive thoughts predicted subjective anxiety.
DISCUSSION: We provide evidence that acceptance and attention psychological exercises may reduce anxiety by reducing the negative thought intrusions that characterise worry.
Behaviour Research & Therapy, 91 : 72-77
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)
, Attention/cognitive bias modification
, Meditation
Burckhardt, R., Manicavasagar, V., Batterham, P. J., Hadzi-Pavlovic, D., Shand, F.
Background: There is a need to prevent anxiety and depression in young people and mindfulness contains important emotion regulation strategies. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-based therapy, has yet to be evaluated as a prevention program, but has demonstrated an ability to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult and adolescent populations. This study examines the feasibility of using an ACT-based prevention program in a sample of year 10 (aged 14-16 years) high school students from Sydney, Australia. Methods: Participants were allocated to either their usual classes or to the ACT-based intervention. Participants were followed for a period of 5 months post-intervention and completed the Flourishing Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and a program evaluation questionnaire. Analyses were completed using intention-to-treat mixed models for repeated measures. Results: The results indicated that the intervention was acceptable to students and feasible to administer in a school setting. There were no statistically significant differences between the conditions, likely due to the small sample size (N = 48). However, between-group effect sizes demonstrated small to large differences for baseline to post-intervention mean scores and medium to large differences for baseline to follow-up mean scores, all favouring the ACT-based condition. Conclusion: The results suggest that an ACT-based school program has potential as a universal prevention program and merits further investigation in a larger trial. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Trial ID: ACTRN12616001383459. Registered 06/10/2016. Retrospectively registered. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s).
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 11 (1) (no pagination)(27) :
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)
Chen, Y.F., Huang, X.Y., Chien, C.H., Cheng, J.F
Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness on reducing anxiety of a diaphragmatic breathing relaxation (DBR) training program. Design and methods: This experimental, pre-test-post-test randomized controlled trial with repeated measures collected data using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and biofeedback tests for skin conductivity, peripheral blood flow, heart rate, and breathing rate. Findings: The experimental group achieved significant reductions in Beck Anxiety Inventory scores (p < .05), peripheral temperature (p = .026), heart rate (p = .005), and breathing rate (p = .004) over the 8-week training period. The experimental group further achieved a significant reduction in breathing rate (p < .001). Practice implications: The findings provide guidance for providing quality care that effectively reduces the anxiety level of care recipients in clinical and community settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 53(4) : 329-336
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Meditation
Chorpita, B. F., Daleiden, E. L., Park, A. L., Ward, A. M., Levy, M. C., Cromley, T., Chiu, A. W., Letamendi, A. M., Tsai, K. H., Krull, J. L.
OBJECTIVE: This study reports outcomes from a randomized effectiveness trial testing modular treatment versus multiple community-implemented evidence-based treatments for youth.
METHOD: An ethnoracially diverse sample of 138 youth ages 5 to 15 (62 girls, 76 boys) whose primary clinical concerns involved diagnoses or clinical elevations related to anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior, and/or traumatic stress were treated by community therapists randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: (a) modular treatment, which involved a single modular protocol (i.e., modular approach to therapy for children; MATCH) that allowed flexible selection and sequencing of procedures to fit the chosen treatment focus in the context of measurement feedback, and (b) community-implemented treatment (CIT), which was a county-supported implementation of multiple evidence-based practices for youth.
RESULTS: Youth treated with MATCH showed significantly faster rates of improvement over time on clinical and functional outcomes relative to youth in the CIT condition and required significantly fewer sessions delivered over significantly fewer days. Caregiver-reported clinical improvement rates were significantly greater for MATCH (60%) versus CIT (36.7%). Further, youth in the CIT condition were significantly more likely to receive additional psychosocial treatment services and were significantly more likely to use a variety of psychotropic medications during the active treatment phase.
CONCLUSIONS: These results extend prior findings, supporting the effectiveness and efficiency of a modular, multifocus approach that incorporates monitoring and feedback relative to community implementation of evidence-based treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record
Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 85(1) : 13-25
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
, Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Other service delivery and improvement interventions
Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Carr, A. C., Mainvil, L. A., Vissers, M. C. M.
This study tested the psychological benefits of a 14-day preregistered clinical intervention to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in 171 low-FV-consuming young adults (67% female, aged 18-25). Participants were randomly assigned into a diet-as-usual control condition, an ecological momentary intervention (EMI) condition involving text message reminders to increase their FV consumption plus a voucher to purchase FV, or a fruit and vegetable intervention (FVI) condition in which participants were given two additional daily servings of fresh FV to consume on top of their normal diet. Self-report outcome measures were depressive symptoms and anxiety measured pre- and post-intervention, and daily negative and positive mood, vitality, flourishing, and flourishing behaviors (curiosity, creativity, motivation) assessed nightly using a smartphone survey. Vitamin C and carotenoids were measured from blood samples pre- and post-intervention, and psychological expectancies about the benefits of FV were measured post-intervention to test as mediators of psychological change. Only participants in the FVI condition showed improvements to their psychological well-being with increases in vitality, flourishing, and motivation across the 14-days relative to the other groups. No changes were found for depressive symptoms, anxiety, or mood. Intervention benefits were not mediated by vitamin C, carotenoids, or psychological expectancies. We conclude that providing young adults with high-quality FV, rather than reminding them to eat more FV (with a voucher to purchase FV), resulted in significant short-term improvements to their psychological well-being. These results provide initial proof-of-concept that giving young adults fresh fruit and vegetables to eat can have psychological benefits even over a brief period of time. Copyright © 2017 Conner et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
PLoS ONE, 12 (2) (no pagination)(e0171206) :
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Service Delivery & Improvement, Dietary advice, dietary change, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Caporino, N.
Objectives: Childhood anxiety is an early risk factor for depression and suicidality. However, extant data on mood concerns following anxiety treatment in youth are limited. This study examines rates of mood disorders and suicidality among individuals who received anxiety treatment as children/adolescents and evaluates potential predictors of the following long-term mood outcomes: 1) anxiety treatment type; 2) short-term treatment response; 3) baseline child and family characteristics; and 4) negative life events. Methods: Participants (N = 319) had been randomized to 12 weeks of CBT, sertraline, their combination, or pill placebo in the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study. Beginning six to nine years after randomization, assessments were completed annually over four years and included the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (administered by independent evaluators to assess mood disorders) and self- and parent-report measures. Results: Approximately one-fifth of individuals had a mood disorder, and onethird reported suicidal thoughts during the follow-up period. Treatment assignment and short-term treatment response did not predict subsequent mood disorder or suicidality status. Pretreatment anxiety severity, parental distress, family functioning, and comorbid externalizing problems, as well as negative life events, predicted one or more long-term mood outcomes. Conclusions: Rates of mood disorders following anxiety treatment in youth aligned with rates previously reported for the general population (compared with higher rates among individuals with untreated anxiety). Attention to comorbid psychopathology and parent/family functioning may be important for improving long-term outcomes of anxiety treatment, and maintenance care should address coping with negative life events.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56 (10) : S318
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions (any)
, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Chalo, P., Pereira, A., Batista, P., Sancho, L.
The increasing number of mental health disorders on university students represents a growing problem with negative impact on this population. Stress and anxiety issues are two of most predominant problems in this population and most campus health services have limited resources to face them. Research has provided evidence about biofeedback effectiveness. This study aims to verify the impact of a short duration biofeedback programme on freshmen university students with high levels of anxiety. A sample of 50 first-year students, with scores above percentile of 75 on STAI Y-2 were randomly selected and divided into two groups. Biofeedback Group took a 15 min session per week, over 8 weeks. No intervention was made on Control Group. Both groups were assessed before and after the biofeedback programme, and the results of the Trait Anxiety Scale and the Inventory of Stress for College Students were compared. The Biofeedback Group presented significant decreases in anxiety and stress values. Control Group presented slight and non-significant changes in scores. These results are consistent with previous studies and reinforce the evidence of biofeedback's programmes as a valid solution to help students to manage their anxiety and stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 42(3) : 163-168
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Biofeedback, neurofeedback, audio/video feedback