@2024 Afarand., IRAN
ISSN: 2383-2150 Journal of Education and Community Health 2018;4(4):32-38
ISSN: 2383-2150 Journal of Education and Community Health 2018;4(4):32-38
Effect of an Integrated Cognitive-Behavioral, Acceptance, and Commitment Intervention on Generalized Anxiety Disorder among University Students
ARTICLE INFO
Article Type
Original ResearchAuthors
Zolfaghari Alireza (1)Bahrami Hadi (1*)
Ghanji Kamran (2)
(1) Department of Psychology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
(2) Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Malayer Branch, Malayer , Iran
Correspondence
Address: Department of Psychology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IranPhone: -
Fax: -
Article History
Received: November 23, 2017Accepted: March 20, 2018
ePublished: March 20, 2018
ABSTRACT
Aims
Regarding the importance of generalized anxiety disorder, this study aimed to investigate the effect of an integrated cognitive-behavioral, acceptance, and commitment intervention on generalized anxiety disorder among students of Islamic Azad University of Toyserkan, Iran.
Materials & Methods This interventional study was conducted on 18 students referring to the counseling center of Toyserkan Azad University to receive counseling services using a pretest-posttest design in 2017. The study population was selected by a psychiatrist based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder criteria through convenience sampling technique. The data were collected using a two-part questionnaire, including the demographic information and Standardized Beck Depression Inventory. The integrated program consisted of 12 educational sessions. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 16) by means of paired sample t-test and Chi-square test.
Findings According to the results, the integrated intervention reduced the student's mean generalized anxiety disorder to 8.27%. Moreover, this intervention led to anxiety reduction from severe level to moderate level in 83.3% of the students.
Conclusion As the findings of the present study indicated, the integrated intervention was effective in the mitigation of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms among the students. Therefore, this intervention was concluded to be as efficient as other interventions, such as the cognitive-behavioral, acceptance, and commitment programs, in decreasing the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
Materials & Methods This interventional study was conducted on 18 students referring to the counseling center of Toyserkan Azad University to receive counseling services using a pretest-posttest design in 2017. The study population was selected by a psychiatrist based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder criteria through convenience sampling technique. The data were collected using a two-part questionnaire, including the demographic information and Standardized Beck Depression Inventory. The integrated program consisted of 12 educational sessions. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 16) by means of paired sample t-test and Chi-square test.
Findings According to the results, the integrated intervention reduced the student's mean generalized anxiety disorder to 8.27%. Moreover, this intervention led to anxiety reduction from severe level to moderate level in 83.3% of the students.
Conclusion As the findings of the present study indicated, the integrated intervention was effective in the mitigation of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms among the students. Therefore, this intervention was concluded to be as efficient as other interventions, such as the cognitive-behavioral, acceptance, and commitment programs, in decreasing the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
Keywords:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy,
Cognitive-behavioral Therapy,
Generalized Anxiety Disorders,
University Students,
CITATION LINKS
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[5]Corner L, Bond J. Being at risk of dementia: fears and anxieties of older adults. J Aging Stud. 2004;18(2):143-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaging.2004.01.007
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[7]Gould RL, Coulson MC, Howard RJ. Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders in older people: a meta‐analysis and meta‐regression of randomized controlled trials. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012;60(2):218-29. PMID: 22283717 DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03824.x
[8]Davies CD, Niles AN, Pittig A, Arch JJ, Craske MG. Physiological and behavioral indices of emotion dysregulation as predictors of outcome from cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2015;46:35-43.
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[12]Wetherell JL, Afari N, Ayers CR, Stoddard JA, Ruberg J, Sorrell JT, et al. Acceptance and commitment therapy for generalized anxiety disorder in older adults: a preliminary report. Behav Ther. 2011;42(1):127-34. PMID: 21292059 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2010.07.002
[13]Arntz A. Cognitive therapy versus applied relaxation as treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2003;41(6):633-46. PMID: 12732372
[14]Roemer L, Orsillo SM. An open trial of an acceptance-based behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Ther. 2007;38(1):72-85. PMID: 17292696 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2006.04.004
[15]Ghassemzadeh H, Mojtabai R, Karamghadiri N, Ebrahimkhani N. Psychometric properties of a Persian‐language version of the Beck Depression Inventory‐Second edition: BDI‐II‐PERSIAN. Depress Anxiety. 2005;21(4):185-92. PMID: 16075452 DOI: 10.1002/da.20070
[16]Kaviani H, Mosavi A. Psychometric properties of Beck Anxiety Inventory in an Iranian population age and sex classes. J Med Tehran Univ Med Sci. 2008;66(2):136-40.
[17]Dugas MJ, Robichaud M. Cognitive-behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: from science to practice. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis; 2007.
[18]Masuda A, Hayes SC, Fletcher LB, Seignourel PJ, Bunting K, Herbst SA, et al. Impact of acceptance and commitment therapy versus education on stigma toward people with psychological disorders. Behav Res Ther. 2007;45(11):2764-72. PMID: 17643389 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2007.05.008
[19]Eifert GH, Forsyth JP, Arch J, Espejo E, Keller M, Langer D. Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders: Three case studies exemplifying a unified treatment protocol. Cognit Behav Pract. 2009;16(4):368-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2009.06.001
[20]Swain J, Hancock K, Hainsworth C, Bowman J. Acceptance and commitment therapy in the treatment of anxiety: a systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2013;33(8):965-78. PMID: 23999201 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.07.002
[21]Izadi R, Neshatdust H, Asgari K, Abedi M. Comparison of the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy on symptoms of treatment of patients with obsessive- compulsive disorder. J Res Behav Sci. 2014;12(1):19-33. DOI: 10.22122/rbs.v0i0.594 [Persian]
[2]Azizi M, Barati M. A review of anxiety disorders and its nursing practices. Paramed Sci Mil Health. 2014;9(1):54-8. [Persian]
[3]Hazlett-Stevens H. Psychological approaches to generalized anxiety disorder: a clinician's guide to assessment and treatment. Berlin, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media; 2008.
[4]Salmani B, Hasani J, Mohammad-Khani S, Karami GR. The efficacy of metacognitive therapy on metacognitive beliefs, metaworry and the signs and symptoms of patients with generalized anxiety disorder. J FEYZ. 2014;18(5):428-39.
[5]Corner L, Bond J. Being at risk of dementia: fears and anxieties of older adults. J Aging Stud. 2004;18(2):143-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaging.2004.01.007
[6]Hamidpour H, Dolatshai B, Dadkhah A. The efficacy of schema therapy in treating women's generalized anxiety disorder. Iran J Psych Clin Psychol. 2011;16(4):420-31.
[7]Gould RL, Coulson MC, Howard RJ. Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders in older people: a meta‐analysis and meta‐regression of randomized controlled trials. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012;60(2):218-29. PMID: 22283717 DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03824.x
[8]Davies CD, Niles AN, Pittig A, Arch JJ, Craske MG. Physiological and behavioral indices of emotion dysregulation as predictors of outcome from cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2015;46:35-43.
[9]Pourfaraj OM. The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy in social phobia of students. Knowl Health. 2011;6(2):1-5. [Persian]
[10]Hayes SC. Acceptance and commitment therapy, relational frame theory, and the third wave of behavioral and cognitive therapies–republished article. Behav Ther. 2016;47(6):869-85. PMID: 27993338 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2016.11.006
[11]Harris R. ACT made simple: An easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. California: New Harbinger Publications; 2009.
[12]Wetherell JL, Afari N, Ayers CR, Stoddard JA, Ruberg J, Sorrell JT, et al. Acceptance and commitment therapy for generalized anxiety disorder in older adults: a preliminary report. Behav Ther. 2011;42(1):127-34. PMID: 21292059 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2010.07.002
[13]Arntz A. Cognitive therapy versus applied relaxation as treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2003;41(6):633-46. PMID: 12732372
[14]Roemer L, Orsillo SM. An open trial of an acceptance-based behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Ther. 2007;38(1):72-85. PMID: 17292696 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2006.04.004
[15]Ghassemzadeh H, Mojtabai R, Karamghadiri N, Ebrahimkhani N. Psychometric properties of a Persian‐language version of the Beck Depression Inventory‐Second edition: BDI‐II‐PERSIAN. Depress Anxiety. 2005;21(4):185-92. PMID: 16075452 DOI: 10.1002/da.20070
[16]Kaviani H, Mosavi A. Psychometric properties of Beck Anxiety Inventory in an Iranian population age and sex classes. J Med Tehran Univ Med Sci. 2008;66(2):136-40.
[17]Dugas MJ, Robichaud M. Cognitive-behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: from science to practice. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis; 2007.
[18]Masuda A, Hayes SC, Fletcher LB, Seignourel PJ, Bunting K, Herbst SA, et al. Impact of acceptance and commitment therapy versus education on stigma toward people with psychological disorders. Behav Res Ther. 2007;45(11):2764-72. PMID: 17643389 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2007.05.008
[19]Eifert GH, Forsyth JP, Arch J, Espejo E, Keller M, Langer D. Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders: Three case studies exemplifying a unified treatment protocol. Cognit Behav Pract. 2009;16(4):368-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2009.06.001
[20]Swain J, Hancock K, Hainsworth C, Bowman J. Acceptance and commitment therapy in the treatment of anxiety: a systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2013;33(8):965-78. PMID: 23999201 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.07.002
[21]Izadi R, Neshatdust H, Asgari K, Abedi M. Comparison of the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy on symptoms of treatment of patients with obsessive- compulsive disorder. J Res Behav Sci. 2014;12(1):19-33. DOI: 10.22122/rbs.v0i0.594 [Persian]