The effect of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on experiential avoidance and worry in people with general anxiety disorder

Abstract

Background: General anxiety disorder is one of the serious problems in mental health. The main aim of the present study was investigating the effect of tDCS on experiential avoidance and worry of people with general anxiety disorder. Materials and Methods: In study, 30 person with general anxiety disorder were selected from Tehran clinic’s clients using purposeful sampling. All subjects were evaluated before and after treatment by Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQII) and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). Subjects randomly were divided into experimental and control groups. Subjects in experimental group received tDCS. Training sessions were conducted for 15 days, each day one session 20 minutes in F3/F4 with an intensity of 2 mA. Results: Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. The results showed that there is a significant difference between experimental and control group in improving the experiential avoidance and worry (P=0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that tDCS can improve experiential avoidance and worry in people with general anxiety disorder

Keywords

• tDCS
• General Anxiety Disorder
• Experiential avoidance
• Worry