Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T05:38:50.972Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A transdiagnostic self-help guide for anxiety: two preliminary controlled trials in subclinical student samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2011

Clare Dixon ,
Warren Mansell ,
Elizabeth Rawlinson  and
Alisha Gibson
Clare Dixon
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
Warren Mansell*
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
Elizabeth Rawlinson
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
Alisha Gibson
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr W. Mansell, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, Coupland I, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. (email: warren.mansell@manchester.ac.uk)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Self-help therapies, such as bibliotherapy, are becoming increasingly more available to the general population as a treatment for psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety. However, relatively few of these self-help books are properly evaluated to test their treatment efficacy. Two studies aimed to test a new self-help book to treat fears, phobias and anxiety in order to see if symptoms of anxiety and associated symptoms, such as functioning and coping, were improved compared to baseline scores and a waiting-list control group. Study 1 adopted a minimal guided approach (experimental group: n = 25; waiting-list control group: n = 29) whereas Study 2 adopted a non-guided approach (experimental group: n = 17; waiting-list control group: n = 16). In both studies, functioning and coping were improved and the current state of phobic symptoms was reduced. The main phobia improved only when adopting a guided approach and general psychological distress only reduced when adopting a non-guided approach. These studies provide preliminary support for a modest effect in a subclinical population. The results could have good implications for the treatment of anxiety and the use of self-help methods as an additional treatment aid or as a preventative treatment.

Keywords

Anxietyanxiety disorderscognitive behaviour therapycommon factorscontrolself-help
Type
Original Research
Information
the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 1 - 15
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Recommended follow-up reading

Harvey, AG, Watkins, E, Mansell, W, Shafran, R (2004). Cognitive Behavioural Processes Across Psychological Disorders: A Transdiagnostic Approach to Research and Treatment. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mansell, W (2007). Coping with Fear and Phobias: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Facing Your Anxieties. Oxford, UK: OneWorld Publications.Google Scholar

References

Bebbington, PE, Marsden, LE, Brewin, CR (1997). The need for psychiatric treatment in the general population: the Camberwell Needs for Care Survey. Psychological Medicine 27, 821–834.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, DM (1986). A cognitive approach to panic. Behaviour Research Therapy 24, 461–470.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, DM, Wells, A (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment (ed. Heimberg, R., Liebowitz, M., Hope, D. A. and Schneier, F. R.), pp. 69–93. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
den Boer, PCAM, Wiersma, D, Van Den Bosch, RJ (2004). Why is self-help neglected in the treatment of emotional disorders? A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine 34, 959–971.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ehlers, A, Clark, DM (2000). A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Research & Therapy 38, 319–345.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fletcher, J, Lovell, K, Bower, P, Campbell, M, Dickens, C (2005). Process and outcome of a non-guided self-help manual for anxiety and depression in primary care: a pilot study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 33, 319–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghosh, A, Marks, IM (1987). Self-treatment of agoraphobia by exposure. Behavior Therapy 35, 625–631.Google Scholar
Gilbert, P (2005). Compassion: Conceptualisations, Research and Use in Psychotherapy. Hove, UK: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldberg, D, Huxley, P (1992). Common Mental Disorders. A Biosocial Model. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Gould, RA, Clum, GA (1995). Self-help plus minimal therapist contact in the treatment of panic disorder: a replication and extension. Behavior Therapy 26, 533–546.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gould, RA, Clum, GA, Shapiro, D (1993). The use of bibliotherapy in the treatment of panic: a preliminary investigation. Behavior Therapy 24, 241–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, AG, Watkins, E, Mansell, W, Shafran, R (2004). Cognitive Behavioural Processes Across Psychological Disorders: A Transdiagnostic Approach to Research and Treatment. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayes, SC, Follette, VM, Linehan, MM (2004). Mindfulness and Acceptance: Expanding the Cognitive-Behavioral Tradition. New York, NY: Guilford.Google Scholar
Hayes, SC, Strosahl, KD (1999). A Practical Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Therapy manual for the Treatment of Emotional Avoidance. Reno, N.V. Context Press.Google Scholar
Hecker, JE, Losee, MC, Fritzler, BK, Fink, CM (1996). Self-directed versus therapist-directed cognitive behavioral treatment for panic disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 10, 253–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henry, JD, Crawford, JR (2005). The short-form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. British Journal of Psychology 44, 227–239.Google Scholar
Mansell, W (2005). Control theory and psychopathology: an integrative approach. Psychology and Psychotherapy – Theory Research and Practice 78, 141–178.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mansell, W (2007). Coping with Fear and Phobias: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Facing Your Anxieties. Oxford, UK: OneWorld Publications.Google Scholar
Marks, I (1986). Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Behavioural Psychotherapy. Bristol: John Wright (now published by I. Marks, Institute of Psychiatry, London).Google Scholar
Marks, IM, Mathews, AM (1979). Brief standard self-rating for phobic patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy 17, 263–267.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marrs, RW (1995). A meta-analysis of bibliotherapy studies. American Journal of Community Psychology 23, 843–870.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Newman, MG, Erikson, T, Pzeworski, A, Dzus, E (2003). Self-help and minimal contact therapies for anxiety disorders: is human contact necessary for therapeutic efficacy? Journal of Clinical Psychology 59, 251–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NICE (2004). Anxiety: management of anxiety (panic disorder with or without agoraphobia and generalized anxiety disorder) in adults in primary, secondary and community care. National Institute for Clinical Excellence, London. (www.nice.org.uk/pdf/CG022NICEguideline.pdf). Accessed 3 January 2007.Google Scholar
ONS (2000). Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Quackenbush, RL (1991). The prescription of self-help books by psychologists: a bibliotherapy of selected bibliotherapy resources. Psychotherapy 28, 671–677.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watkins, E, Williams, R (1998). The efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 8, 165–187.Google Scholar
Wells, A (1997). Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders: a Practice Manual and Conceptual Guide. Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Whitfield, G, Hinshelwood, R, Pashley, A, Campsie, L, Williams, C (2006). The impact of a novel computerized CBT CDRom (Overcoming Depression) offered to patients referred to clinical psychology. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 34, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.