None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The Behavioural Activation model highlights the centrality of patterns of avoidance and withdrawal. The conceptualisation for using BA with depression by Dimidjian and colleagues has received strong empirical support. The premise of BA treatment on depression focuses on reducing the repetitive negative thinking in depression- rumination; and assisting individuals to reverse avoidant behaviours, particularly in areas of occupational or daily-life routine demands. Recent research has pointed to distinct similarity in the features of worry and rumination, both sharing a common feature of repetitive negative thought and both has implications on problem orientation (approach versus avoidance) and problem resolution. The current study aims to adapt the BA treatment for depression to a group with excessive and uncontrollable worry tendency. The purpose of the current study is to determine the efficacy of using Behaviour Activation to treat excessive and uncontrollable worry. The study may also have implications for future directions of a transdiagnostic treatment approach to depression and anxiety disorders where excessive worry is a maintaining factor.
Interventions
The treatment includes eight two hour sessions over eight weeks and will be conducted in a group format. Two therapists will be present at each session. A treatment manual will be adapted for Worry treatment based on the Behavioural Activation handbook, Overcoming Depression one step at a time (Addis, M & Martell, C., 2004). The primary focus of Behavioural Activation (BA) treatment is in the use of functional analysis to provide individuals with psychosocial education to differentiate between
The treatment includes eight two hour sessions over eight weeks and will be conducted in a group format. Two therapists will be present at each session. A treatment manual will be adapted for Worry treatment based on the Behavioural Activation handbook, Overcoming Depression one step at a time (Addis, M & Martell, C., 2004). The primary focus of Behavioural Activation (BA) treatment is in the use of functional analysis to provide individuals with psychosocial education to differentiate between helpful or unhelpful thinking. Individuals are then coached to shift towards more adaptive thinking styles. BA starts in functional analysis focusing on assessment and treatment of avoidance behaviours- variability of (1) Worry (e.g., differences between helpful and unhelpful thinking about problems); (2) Associated behaviours and (3) Counter-worry behaviours such as effective engagement in tasks. This detailed analysis of context and function is then used to help clients: (1) Recognize warning signs for worry; (2) Develop alternative strategies and contingency plans; some helpful alternative behaviour include allowing worry to cue the clients to take action, attending to their experience, etc.; (3) Alter environmental and behavioural contingencies maintaining worry.
Sponsors
Xi Liu
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
High to moderate scores on Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ, Meyer et al., 1990)
Exclusion criteria
Active psychosis, current suicide ideation and unmanaged substance dependence/abuse
Outcome results
None listed