Comparing the Effects of Integrated Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Transdiagnostic Treatment on Symptoms of Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder Comorbid with Depression

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and transdiagnostic treatment in improving symptoms of patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) comorbid with depression. Methods: This is a single-case quasi-experimental study. The study population consists of all people with GAD comorbid with depression referred to counseling centers in Isfahan, Iran in 2019, from whom 10 were selected using a purposive sampling method and randomly assigned into two groups of CBT and transdiagnostic treatment. Subjects in both groups were assessed at baseline, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 10th sessions, and during a one-month follow-up period using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. To analyze the data, visual analysis, Reliable Change Index (RCI), improvement percentage, and statistical and clinical significance were used. Results: Visual analysis, percentage of improvement, and RCI value showed that both treatments caused clinically and statistically significant changes in therapeutic outcomes and their therapeutic effects continued during follow-up period. However, the percentage of improvement in CBT group was higher than in the transdiagnostic treatment group. Conclusion: CBT is superior to transdiagnostic treatment in terms of effect size and stability, but both are the same in terms of acceptance.