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Emotion-focused therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: An exploratory study
Ladislav Timulak1, James McElvaney1, Daragh Keogh1
1School of Psychology, Trinity College.
Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.)
|December 19, 2017
Summary
Emotion-focused therapy shows promise for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This study found significant improvements in GAD symptoms and overall functioning, suggesting it as a viable alternative to cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most studied psychological treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
- There is a need to explore alternative therapeutic models for GAD to broaden client options.
- Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is a non-cognitive-behavioral approach that warrants investigation for GAD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the pre-post outcomes and 6-month follow-up of emotion-focused therapy for generalized anxiety disorder.
- To gather qualitative client accounts on helpful and unhelpful aspects of EFT and reported changes.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory study involving 14 clients with GAD.
- Quantitative assessment of GAD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and general psychological functioning (pre-post and 6-month follow-up).
- Qualitative data collection through post-therapy client interviews.
Main Results:
- Quantitative data revealed large effect sizes for pre-post and 6-month follow-up outcomes.
- Qualitative findings indicated improvements in emotional functioning, anxiety levels, self-acceptance, self-confidence, and self-understanding.
- Clients found relational and experiential aspects of EFT helpful, though some experienced challenges with experiential tasks.
Conclusions:
- Emotion-focused therapy demonstrates potential as an effective treatment for generalized anxiety disorder.
- Further investigation in a randomized controlled trial is recommended to validate these findings.
- EFT may offer valuable benefits for individuals with GAD, complementing existing treatment options.
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