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Enhancing Autonomy-Connectedness in Patients With Anxiety Disorders: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Joyce Maas1,2,3, Ton van Balkom2, Marcel van Assen4,5
1Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|October 2, 2019
Summary
Autonomy-enhancing treatment (AET) shows promise in reducing agoraphobic symptoms for individuals with severe anxiety. This pilot study suggests AET may be an effective intervention for improving personal autonomy and mental health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychotherapy Research
Background:
- Personal autonomy deficits are common in various mental health conditions.
- Autonomy-enhancing treatment (AET) is a novel, person-centered, and gender-sensitive therapeutic approach.
- Previous pilot studies indicated AET's feasibility and acceptability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct the first pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the preliminary efficacy of AET.
- To compare the effects of group-based AET with a waitlist control condition.
- To assess AET's impact on agoraphobic symptoms and related psychological factors.
Main Methods:
- A pilot RCT (Trial Code 3513) involving 83 patients.
- Participants were randomized to receive 15 sessions of group-based AET (N=43) or a waitlist control (N=40).
- Analyses included intention-to-treat and completers' analyses, assessing agoraphobic symptoms and autonomy-connectedness.
Main Results:
- Both intention-to-treat and completers' analyses indicated a greater reduction in agoraphobic symptoms in the AET group compared to the waitlist control.
- Effect sizes for symptom reduction were small.
- Completers' analyses suggested potential benefits in autonomy-connectedness, psychoneuroticism, anxiety, and depression, though these did not persist after multiple testing correction.
Conclusions:
- AET may be effective in alleviating agoraphobic symptoms in patients with severe anxiety.
- Further research with stricter inclusion criteria and follow-up assessments is warranted.
- AET could potentially serve as an alternative or adjunct to existing anxiety treatments.
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