Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) anxiety management and reasoning bias modification in young adults with anxiety disorders: A real-world study of a therapist-assisted computerized (TACCBT) program Vs. “person-to-person” group CBT

Abstract

Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) appears to be a therapeutic strategy that is as effective as person-to-person CBT in the treatment of adults and young people with anxiety disorders. The aim of our controlled study was to evaluate the following in young adult users affected by anxiety disorders: (1) the feasibility of our simple “prototype” of a therapist-assisted computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (TacCBT); and (2) the effectiveness of two different interventions—group CBT and TacCBT—in an “enriched” format for anxiety management and reasoning bias modification as compared to a control group. Psychopathology, global functioning, and cognitive flexibility were examined in 13 users undergoing TacCBT and compared to those receiving “person-to-person” group CBT (CBT Group, n = 25), which controlled for their psychopharmacological treatment. Users were included in the arms of our real-word study on the basis of their treatment preferences. Twelve subjects were included in a Treatment as Usual (TAU) group. Following the intervention, all groups showed a significant improvement in symptoms. Both CBT groups showed an improvement in cognitive flexibility with respect to TAU, in addition to a reduction of their reasoning overconfidence. Our preliminary results show the benefits of the TacCBT program and highlight its advantages. Keywords: Anxiety disorders, CBT program, Therapist-assisted computerized intervention, Young adult users