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Internet-Based Self-Management of Generalised Anxiety Disorder: A Preliminary Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Mark Draper
Affiliation:
Curtin University, Australia.
Clare S. Rees*
Affiliation:
Curtin University, Australia. [email protected]
Paula R. Nathan
Affiliation:
Centre for Clinical Interventions, Perth, Western Australia.
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Clare Rees, School of Psychology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Bentley WA 6845, Australia.
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Abstract

Despite the continuing development of effective cognitive and behavioural interventions for Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) less attention has been paid to the important issue of improving treatment accessibility and affordability. Self-management approaches that utilise the convenience of the Internet may provide a means by which more people can avail themselves of effective treatments. To date, studies examining the effectiveness of such approaches for GAD lag behind the work conducted with other clinical problems. This study describes the response of three individuals with a primary diagnosis of GAD to an Internet-based treatment completed at their own pace. The intervention (‘What? Me Worry!?!; Saulsman, Nathan, Lim, and Correia, 2005) combines several cognitive and behavioural components with the inclusion of a significant metacognitive component. All participants achieved clinically significant improvement on measures of worry, GAD symptomatology, and metacognitions. Moreover, none of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for GAD at the completion of the study. A larger randomised controlled trial of this intervention is indicated.

Type
Case Studies
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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