Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Acceptance-based behavioral therapy (ABBT), which has shown efficacy for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in preliminary trials, targets patients' negative judgments about, and avoidance of, distressing emotions; rigid attempts to control internal experiences; and avoidance of engagement in important life activities. The current researchers examined ABBT's efficacy and effects on elements central to other models of GAD — e.g., emotion dysregulation, intolerance of uncertainty, and perceived lack of control.

The 31 participants with GAD (71% female; 87% white) were randomized to ABBT or a waitlist control condition. Most patients had comorbidities (major depression, 9; social phobia, 5; panic disorder, 4; obsessive-compulsive disorder, 4). …