The alleviative effect of acupuncture combined with cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety of accounting personnel

Abstract

Background

This study aims to investigate the alleviating effect of Acupuncture combined with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on anxiety disorders among accounting professionals in the financial sharing services model. Anxiety disorders are prevalent among accounting professionals due to the high-pressure work environment, and effective interventions are essential to mitigate their negative impact.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 120 accounting professionals working in the financial sharing services model were recruited for this study. They were randomly divided into three groups: the Acupuncture combined with CBT group (n=40), the CBT alone group (n=40), and the control group (n=40). The participants’ anxiety levels were measured using the Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) and the 3-min Confusion Assessment Scale (3D-CAM). The intervention was conducted over a period of six weeks, with regular sessions once a week.

Results

Statistical analysis using SPSS23.0 revealed a significant reduction in anxiety levels in both the Acupuncture combined with CBT group and the CBT alone group compared to the control group (P<0.001). However, the Acupuncture combined with CBT group exhibited a more substantial decrease in anxiety symptoms compared to the CBT alone group (P<0.05), as measured by the SASRQ and 3D-CAM. These results suggest that the combination therapy has a more significant effect on alleviating anxiety disorders among accounting professionals.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the efficacy of acupuncture combined with CBT in reducing anxiety disorders among accounting professionals in the financial shared service model. These findings highlight the importance of combining complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, with established psychological interventions to achieve more comprehensive treatment outcomes.

Acknowledgement

The 2017 Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education project (No. 17JK0942); The 2021 Xi’an Social Science Planning Fund project (No. JX163); The 2022 Shaanxi International Business School Science and Technology Innovation Team Construction Project (No. 2022KYTD05).