Cognitive-behavior therapy for generalized anxiety in late life: an evaluative overview

Of the pervasive anxiety disorders diagnosed in late life, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most prevalent. In this paper, the clinical features of GAD among older adults are described, with particular attention to differences in the nature of relevant symptoms among older and younger cohorts. Outcome studies addressing the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for younger and middle-aged adults with GAD then are reviewed briefly. Next, early literature investigating the potential usefulness of cognitive-behavioral treatments among older anxious community volunteers is then reviewed and critiqued in some detail. More recent work, some of which is currently in progress, has focused on the efficacy of CBT for older adults with well-diagnosed GAD. This research also is reviewed, and directions for future research in this area are provided.