Disorders - Anxiety Disorders
Papp, M. E., Nygren-Bonnier, M., Gullstrand, L., Wandell, P. E., Lindfors, P.
Objective: Modern hatha yoga exercises (YE) provide an alternative form of physical activity which may reduce stress, facilitate recovery and improve health. This study investigated the short-term effects of high intensity hatha yoga exercises (HIY) on health-related outcomes. Method(s): A 6-week randomized controlled study was performed to compare HIY with a control group not changing their exercise behavior. Healthy students (N = 44; median age: 25 years, range 20-39 years; HIY: n = 21, including 3 men; control group: n = 23, including 3 men) novice to yoga participated in the intervention which included one weekly class and recommended home training. Participants provided self-reports in questionnaires before and after the intervention. Self-reports included anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), subjective health complaints (Common Symptoms in General Practice Index) and self-rated health (single-item). Result(s): After the 6-week intervention, there were no between-group differences in anxiety, depression, stress, sleep or self-rated health. However, when investigating associations within the HIY-group, a higher HIY-dose was related to less depression (r = 0.47; p = 0.03), improved sleep quality (r = 0.55; p = 0.01), and less insomnia (r = 0.49; p = 0.02). Conclusion(s): There were no short-term between-group effects of HIY on mental distress, sleep or self-rated health. However, within the HIY-group, a higher dose was associated with improved mental health in terms of depression and with improved sleep. Although future studies with larger samples are needed, these preliminary findings suggest short-term positive effects of HIY on health-related outcomes among students. Trial registration number: NCT01305096. Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies., :
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Mind-body exercises (e.g. yoga, tai chi, qigong)
Martinsen, K. D., Rasmussen, L. M. P., Wentzel-Larsen, T., Holen, S., Sund, A. M., Lovaas, M. E. S., Patras, J., Kendall, P. C., Waaktaar, T., Neumer, S. P.
Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic program (EMOTION, Coping Kids Managing Anxiety and Depression) targeting symptoms of anxiety and depression in schoolchildren by comparing the intervention condition (EC) to a control condition (CC). Method(s): A clustered randomized design was used with schools as the unit of randomization. Children (N = 1686) aged 8-12 years in 36 schools completed screening using the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale (MASC-Child) and The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire Short version (SMFQ-Child). Scoring 1 SD above a population-based mean on anxiety and/or depression, 873 children were invited to participate. Intent-to-treat analyses were performed, and mixed-effects models were used. Result(s): Analyses revealed significant reductions of anxious and depressive symptoms as reported by the children, in which children in the intervention condition EC had almost twice the reduction in symptoms compared with the control condition CC. For parent report of the child's depressive symptoms, there was a significant decrease of symptoms in the intervention condition EC compared with CC. However, parents did not report a significant decrease in anxious symptoms in the intervention condition EC as compared with CC. Conclusion(s): A transdiagnostic prevention program, provided in schools, was successful in reducing youth-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression and parent-reported depression. The EMOTION program has the potential to reduce the incidence of anxious and depressive disorders in youth. Copyright © 2019 American Psychological Association.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87(2) : 212-219
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Skills training
Johnson, C., Wade, T.
AIM: It is unclear how adult mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) should be modified for youth, and at what ages programmes should be implemented for optimal impact. Recent non-replication with a 9-week programme in early adolescence suggested abbreviated programme content might be insufficient and/or that this age group are less receptive. METHOD(S): This controlled quasi-experimental design tested a more intensive 8-week MBI (longer meditation and session duration, plus inquiry) in Year 8 (Mage =13.47; SD=0.35) and Year 10 (Mage =15.47; SD=0.40) secondary students for feasibility and acceptability (N=143, 45.9% female). RESULT(S): Within this format students rated the content as agreeable, and school staff deemed content developmentally appropriate, across both age bands. Efficacy was tested in a small subsample (N=90) to provide an estimate of effect size. Linear mixed modelling demonstrated significant between-group differences in depression (Cohen's d=0.61; 95% CI = 0.19 to 1.03) and anxiety (d=0.52; 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.94) at 4-month follow-up, but not immediately post-intervention. CONCLUSION(S): An MBI more closely modelled on adult curricula was acceptable to students, although session duration was harder to timetable by schools. Promising effect sizes support further investigation in a larger sample. Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Early intervention in psychiatry., 13(6) : 1495-1502
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy, Meditation
Rodriguez-Ayllon, M., Cadenas-Sanchez, C., Estevez-Lopez, F., Munoz, N. E., Mora-Gonzalez, J., Migueles, J. H., Molina-Garcia, P., Henriksson, H., Mena-Molina, A., Martinez-Vizcaino, V., Catena, A., Lof, M., Erickson, K. I., Lubans, D. R., Ortega, F. B., Esteban-Cornejo, I.
BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that participation in physical activity may support young people's current and future mental health. Although previous reviews have examined the relationship between physical activity and a range of mental health outcomes in children and adolescents, due to the large increase in published studies there is a need for an update and quantitative synthesis of effects. OBJECTIVE(S): The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of physical activity interventions on mental health outcomes by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, and to systematically synthesize the observational evidence (both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies) regarding the associations between physical activity and sedentary behavior and mental health in preschoolers (2-5 years of age), children (6-11 years of age) and adolescents (12-18 years of age). METHOD(S): A systematic search of the PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases was performed from January 2013 to April 2018, by two independent researchers. Meta-analyses were performed to examine the effect of physical activity on mental health outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs (i.e. quasi-experimental studies). A narrative synthesis of observational studies was conducted. Studies were included if they included physical activity or sedentary behavior data and at least one psychological ill-being (i.e. depression, anxiety, stress or negative affect) or psychological well-being (i.e. self-esteem, self-concept, self-efficacy, self-image, positive affect, optimism, happiness and satisfaction with life) outcome in preschoolers, children or adolescents. RESULT(S): A total of 114 original articles met all the eligibility criteria and were included in the review (4 RCTs, 14 non-RCTs, 28 prospective longitudinal studies and 68 cross-sectional studies). Of the 18 intervention studies, 12 (3 RCTs and 9 non-RCTs) were included in the meta-analysis. There was a small but significant overall effect of physical activity on mental health in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years (effect size 0.173, 95% confidence interval 0.106-0.239, p<0.001, percentage of total variability attributed to between-study heterogeneity [I2]=11.3%). When the analyses were performed separately for children and adolescents, the results were significant for adolescents but not for children. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies demonstrated significant associations between physical activity and lower levels of psychological ill-being (i.e. depression, stress, negative affect, and total psychological distress) and greater psychological well-being (i.e. self-image, satisfaction with life and happiness, and psychological well-being). Furthermore, significant associations were found between greater amounts of sedentary behavior and both increased psychological ill-being (i.e. depression) and lower psychological well-being (i.e. satisfaction with life and happiness) in children and adolescents. Evidence on preschoolers was nearly non-existent. CONCLUSION(S): Findings from the meta-analysis suggest that physical activity interventions can improve adolescents' mental health, but additional studies are needed to confirm the effects of physical activity on children's mental health. Findings from observational studies suggest that promoting physical activity and decreasing sedentary behavior might protect mental health in children and adolescents. PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42017060373.
Sports medicine, :
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Physical activity, exercise
Fite, P. J., Cooley, J. L., Poquiz, J., Williford, A.
OBJECTIVE: Due to the limited effectiveness of extant prevention and intervention strategies, the current study is an initial evaluation of a cognitive behavioral group intervention, originally designed to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety, for youth who experienced peer victimization. METHOD(S): Twelve third- through fifth-grade youth participated in the intervention, and their data were compared with 12 youth who were a part of a naturalistic control group. Additionally, school-wide data are reported to provide overall school trends. RESULT(S): Whereas the intervention group participants exhibited decreases in relational victimization, depressive symptoms, and passive coping, the control group participants exhibited nonsignificant increases in relational victimization, depressive symptoms, and passive coping. School-wide data also indicated overall increases in relational victimization and depressive symptoms, but no changes in passive coping. CONCLUSION(S): Findings suggest that cognitive behavioral group interventions may provide a promising avenue for addressing the mental health needs of victimized elementary school-age youth. Copyright © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(1) : 46-65
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Dale, L. P., Vanderloo, L., Moore, S., Faulkner, G.
Problem: A 2011 review of reviews reported small to moderate associations between physical activity (PA)and depression, anxiety and self-esteem among children and youth (aged 5-17 years). Due to the increase in reviews examining PA and mental health outcomes in children and youth over the past decade, we conducted an umbrella review to determine the current state of the literature, including whether effects were moderated by dose and type of PA, age, sex, or severity of mental illness. Method(s): We systematically reviewed literature published from 2010 onwards from six online databases to identify and summarize findings from systematic reviews examining PA and depression, anxiety, and self-esteem outcomes in children and youth. We assessed review quality using the AMSTAR 2 critical appraisal tool. Result(s): We identified 26 reviews examining depression (n = 16), anxiety (n = 2), and self-esteem (n = 14). Half of the eligible reviews were considered to be of low or critically low quality (n = 13). PA had positive mental health outcomes for children and youth, specifically for reduction in depression/depressive symptoms and improvements in physical self-concept, a self-esteem sub-domain. Little research has examined PA and anxiety. The moderator analyses reviewed revealed stronger effects in populations with clinical diagnoses (e.g. depression)and for interventions consisting of regular, supervised, group-based aerobic exercise. Conclusion(s): PA appears to be an effective intervention for reducing depression/depressive symptoms and improving physical self-perceptions, although additional high-quality research and moderator analyses are needed to determine what type of PA interventions may result in better mental health outcomes for children and youth. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
Mental Health and Physical Activity, 16 : 66-79
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
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Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Physical activity, exercise
Lebowitz, E. R., Marin, C., Martino, A., Shimshoni, Y., Silverman, W. K.
Objective: Treatment for childhood anxiety disorders is insufficient in many cases. Parent involvement has been examined to augment child-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), but no studies have compared the efficacy of stand-alone parent-based treatment to CBT. Research implicates family accommodation in the maintenance and course of childhood anxiety. Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is a parent-based treatment that reduces accommodation of childhood anxiety. This study compared SPACE to CBT in a noninferiority trial. Method(s): Participants were children with primary anxiety disorders (N = 124; 7-14 years of age; 53% female participants; 83% white), randomly assigned to either SPACE (n = 64) with no direct child-therapist contact, or CBT (n = 60) with no parent treatment. A total of 97 participants (78%) completed all treatment sessions and assessments. Attrition did not differ significantly between groups. Primary anxiety outcomes included diagnostic interview and clinician-rated scales. Secondary outcomes included parent and child ratings of anxiety severity, family accommodation, and parenting stress. Noninferiority margins were determined based on statistical and clinical considerations. Change in family accommodation and parenting stress were examined using mixed models analyses. Result(s): SPACE was noninferior, relative to CBT, on primary and secondary anxiety outcomes, and based on ratings provided by independent evaluators, parents, and children. Family accommodation and parenting stress were significantly reduced in both treatments, with significantly greater reduction in family accommodation following SPACE compared to CBT. Treatment credibility and satisfaction were high. Conclusion(s): SPACE is an acceptable and efficacious treatment for childhood anxiety disorders, is noninferior to CBT, and provides an alternative strategy for treating anxiety in children. Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry., :
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Other Psychological Interventions
De-Lijster, J. M., Dieleman, G. C., Utens, E. M. W. J., Van-Der-Ende, J., Alexander, T. M., Boon, A., Hillegers, M. H. J., Legerstee, J. S.
Attention Bias Modification (ABM) targets attention bias (AB) towards threat, which is common in youth with anxiety disorders. Previous clinical trials showed inconsistent results regarding the efficacy of ABM, and few studies have examined the effect of online ABM and its augmented effect with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The aim of the current study was to examine the efficacy of online ABM combined with CBT for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Children (aged 8-16 years) completed nine online sessions of ABM (n = 28) or online sessions of the Attention Control Condition (ACC; n = 27) over a period of 3 weeks (modified dot-probe task with anxiety disorder-congruent stimuli), followed by CBT. Primary outcomes were clinician-reported anxiety disorder status. Secondary outcomes were patient-reported anxiety and depression symptoms and AB. Results showed a continuous decrease across time in primary and secondary outcomes (ps <.001). However, no differences across time between the ABM and ACC group were found (ps >.50). Baseline AB and age did not moderate treatment effects. Online ABM combined with CBT does not show different efficacy compared with online ACC with CBT for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Copyright © The Author(s) 2019.
Behaviour Change., 34(4) : 200-215
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Attention/cognitive bias modification
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Crivelli, D., Fronda, G., Balconi, M.
To foster performance across all levels of sports practice, physical training has been integrated with various mental training practices. Recently, an integrative approach to neurocognitive enhancement tried to combine the strengths of mental practices (i.e. mindfulness) and of training with neurofeedback devices. Based on previous validation studies showing the effect of a combined mindfulness-neurofeedback program on neurocognitive efficiency and stress/anxiety levels, we aimed at testing the feasibility and potential of that intensive combined program for improving psychological well-being and attention regulation in sport contexts. 50 participants (sportspeople and volunteers not regularly involved in sports) were divided into groups undergoing experimental and active control training programs. The experimental one was based on breathing-awareness practices supported by a wearable neurofeedback, while the active control one included only breathing practices. Before and after training participants underwent standardized neuropsychological and electrophysiological assessment. Data analysis highlighted a significant reduction of response times and false alarms at computerized cognitive tasks in sportspeople who completed the training, as well as a consistent improvement of the N2 event-related potential - a marker of attention regulation processes. We have also observed a general reduction of perceived stress and increased ability to keep a non-evaluative stance. Findings extend available observations on cognitive and neural effects of combined mindfulness-neurofeedback practice by showing that it is possible to observe training effects even after a limited period of practice among sportspeople. Such early training effects might mirror optimized implicit learning curves due to peculiar sensitivity to bodily signals and awareness. Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Neuroscience, 412 : 83-93
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy, Biofeedback, neurofeedback, audio/video feedback
Borquist-Conlon, D. S., Maynard, B. R., Brendel, K. E., Farina, A. S.
Purpose: To examine the effects on anxiety of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) among youth with anxiety disorders. Method: Systematic review and meta-analytic procedures were employed to synthesize experimental and quasi-experimental studies authored between 1980 and 2015. Results: The search yielded five studies from five countries reporting results for a total of 188 youth between the ages of 5 and 18 (mean age 13.26) who met criteria for an anxiety disorder. Risk of bias varied across studies. Meta-analytic results suggest a moderate and significant effect (g = .62; 95% confidence interval = [0.20, 1.04], p = .004). Heterogeneity was moderate (I2 = 47.22) and not statistically significant (Q = 7.58, df = 4, p = .11), thus moderator analyses were not warranted. Discussion: The findings of this review suggest that MBIs for the treatment of anxiety in youth with anxiety disorders are effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Research on Social Work Practice, 29(2) : 195-205
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy
Silk, Jennifer S., Price, Rebecca B., Rosen, Dana, Ryan, Neal D., Forbes, Erika E., Siegle, Greg J., Dahl, Ronald E., McMakin, Dana L., Kendall, Philip C., Ladouceur, Cecile D.
Objective: Children who are fearful and anxious are at heightened risk for developing depression in adolescence. Treating anxiety disorders in pre-/early adolescence may be one mechanism through which depressive symptoms later in adolescence can be prevented. We hypothesized that anxious youth who responded positively to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety would show reduced onset of depressive symptoms 2 years later compared to treatment nonresponders, and that this effect would be specific to youth treated with CBT compared to an active supportive comparison treatment. Method: Participants were 80 adolescents ages 11 to 17 years who had previously completed a randomized trial comparing predictors of treatment response to CBT and child-centered therapy (CCT). Youth met DSM-IV criteria for generalized, separation, and/or social anxiety disorder at the time of treatment. The present study was a prospective naturalistic 2-year follow-up examining trajectories toward depression, in which participants were reassessed for depressive symptoms 2 years after anxiety treatment. Treatment response was defined as a 35% reduction in independent evaluator-rated anxiety severity on the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale after treatment. Results: As hypothesized, lower levels of depressive symptoms were observed in anxious youth who responded to CBT for anxiety (beta = -0.807, p = .004) but not CCT (beta = 0.254, p = .505). Sensitivity analyses showed that the effects were driven by girls. Conclusion: Findings suggest that CBT for anxiety is a promising approach to preventing adolescent depressive symptomatology, especially among girls. The results highlight the need for better early screening for anxiety and better dissemination of CBT programs targeting anxiety in youth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(3) : 359-367
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social phobia (social anxiety disorder)
, Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Supportive therapy, Other Psychological Interventions
Chong, H. X., Yusoff, N. A. A., Hor, Y. Y., Lew, L. C., Jaafar, M. H., Choi, S. B., Yusoff, M. S. B., Wahid, N., Abdullah, M. F. I. L., Zakaria, N., Ong, K. L., Park, Y. H., Liong, M. T.
Probiotics have been reported to exert beneficial effects along the gut-brain axis. This randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled human study aimed to evaluate such properties of Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 and its accompanying mechanisms in stressed adults. One hundred and eleven (n=111; DR7 n=56, placebo n=55) stressed adults were recruited based on moderate stress levels using the PSS-10 questionnaire. The consumption of DR7 (1x109 cfu/day) for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of stress (P=0.024), anxiety (P=0.001), and total psychological scores (P=0.022) as early as 8 weeks among stressed adults compared to the placebo group as assessed by the DASS-42 questionnaire. Plasma cortisol level was reduced among DR7 subjects as compared to the placebo, accompanied by reduced plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-gamma and transforming growth factor-alpha and increased plasma anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 10 (P<0.05). DR7 better improved cognitive and memory functions in normal adults (>30 years old), such as basic attention, emotional cognition, and associate learning (P<0.05), as compared to the placebo and young adults (<30 years old). The administration of DR7 enhanced the serotonin pathway, as observed by lowered expressions of plasma dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase accompanied by increased expressions of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor-6, while stabilising the dopamine pathway as observed via stabilised expressions of TH and DBH over 12 weeks as compared to the placebo (P<0.05). Our results indicated that DR7 fulfil the requirement of a probiotic strain as per recommendation of FAO/WHO and could be applicable as a natural strategy to improve psychological functions, cognitive health and memory in stressed adults. Copyright © 2019 Wageningen Academic Publishers.
Beneficial Microbes, 10(4) : 355-373
- Year: 2019
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Vitamins and supplements