Excessive Worry
Conditions
Keywords
Digital CBT, Brief intervention, Indian Expatriate
Brief summary
Background: Expatriates may face challenges through distance from support systems, cultural adjustments, and language barriers, which may be associated with anxiety and elevated worry, particularly in times of ongoing global crises. Brief online cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) is effective for treating excessive worry but has not been adapted for expatriate communities in Sweden.
Detailed description
This pilot study aimed to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary treatment effects of a five-week, therapist-guided, culturally adapted ICBT program. The program targeted excessive worry related to ongoing global crises among Indian expatriates.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBrief online CBT targeting excessiv worry
The intervention with a focus on excessive worry lasted five weeks and was delivered through five online modules with therapist support. Modules covered psychoeducation, problem-solving, reducing excessive media consumption, detached mindfulness, and shifting focus from worry. The final module offered relapse prevention strategies.
Sponsors
Karolinska Institutet
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Open pilot study
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* identifying as Indian expatriate currently living in Sweden * self-reported dysfunctional worry, defined as worrying several times a day and the worry being experienced as difficult to control * age ≥ 18 years; * able to provide digital informed consent * having daily access to a device with internet connection.
Exclusion criteria
* non-English speaking * self-reported severe depression (\>28 points on the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S; (Svanborg & Åsberg, 1994) * suicidal risk (5 points on item 9 on the MADRS-S).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) | Baseline to post-treatment (5 weeks) | The GAD-7 is a 7-item self-report tool used to assess generalized anxiety disorder severity. It scores symptoms like worry and restlessness over the past two weeks on a scale of 0 to 3, with a total score of 0-21. Scores categorize anxiety as mild, moderate, or severe. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) | Baseline to post-treatment (5 weeks) | The WSAS is a 5-item self-report scale measuring how mental health issues affect work, home tasks, social life, and relationships. Higher scores indicate greater impairment. |
| Insomnia Severity Index | Baseline to post-treatment (5 weeks) | The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is a 7-item scale assessing insomnia severity, including sleep issues and daytime impact. Higher scores indicate more severe insomnia. |
| Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale - Self report (MADRS-S) | Baseline to post-treatment (5 weeks) | The MADRS-S is a 9-item self-report scale for assessing depression severity. Each item is scored 0 to 6, with higher scores reflecting more severe symptoms like mood, sleep, and concentration issues. |
| Adverse events | Baseline to post-treatment (5 weeks) | Adverse events for participating in the intervention may include increased anxiety, emotional distress, or frustration. Patients rate the severity and duration of these events on a scale from 0 to 3. |
| Adherence to treatment | From baseline to treatment (5 weeks) | Treatment completion was defined as a participant successfully finishing at least four out of the five treatment modules (described below) included returning the associated homework assignment linked to each module. This level was set as modules 1-4 provide the core components of the treatment. |
| Client Satisfaction Questionnaire CSQ | Baseline to post-treatment (5 weeks) | The Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) is a self-report tool that measures patients' satisfaction with healthcare services. It covers aspects like quality of care, communication, convenience, and overall experience. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction. The Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) is a self-report tool that measures patients' satisfaction with intervention. It covers aspects like quality of care, communication, convenience, and overall experience. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction. he Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) measures patients' satisfaction with healthcare, focusing on care quality, communication, and convenience. Higher scores show greater satisfaction. |
Countries
Sweden
Outcome results
None listed