Dataset Information

Patient and therapist experiences of exposure therapy for anxiety-related disorders in pregnancy: qualitative analysis of a feasibility trial of intensive versus weekly CBT.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Approximately 15% of pregnant women experience anxiety disorders. Effective treatments exist but their acceptability during pregnancy, particularly exposure therapy, is not known.

Aims

To understand patient and therapist experiences of time-intensive and weekly exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders delivered during pregnancy. Trial registration: ISRCTN81203286.

Method

In-depth interviews were conducted with patients and therapists who had taken part in a feasibility trial of predominantly online time-intensive versus weekly cognitive-behavioural therapy in pregnancy in a primary care setting in the UK. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

In total, 45 women participating in the trial and 6 therapists who had delivered the treatments were interviewed. Five themes were developed from the data that showed convergence from therapist and patient perspectives: 'Acquiring tools to navigate the perinatal period'; 'Motivated yet constrained by pregnancy'; 'Having the confidence to face fears and tolerate uncertainty'; 'Momentum with the need for flexibility'; 'Being removed from the face-to-face world'.

Conclusions

Exposure therapy is acceptable and helpful in pregnancy and can lead to lasting gains. Exposure is a key element of treatment and needs to be confidently conducted by therapists with perinatal knowledge and expertise. Treatments need to consider the unfolding context of pregnancy. The momentum of intensive therapy can lead to rapid improvements, but is demanding for both patients and therapists, especially fitting round other commitments. Online treatments can work well and are a good fit for perinatal women, but this needs to be balanced with the need for social connection, suggesting a hybrid model is the ideal.

SUBMITTER: Challacombe FL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10594159 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Patient and therapist experiences of exposure therapy for anxiety-related disorders in pregnancy: qualitative analysis of a feasibility trial of intensive versus weekly CBT.

Challacombe Fiona L FL Sabin Katherine K Jacobson Samantha S Tinch-Taylor Rose R Potts Laura L Carter Ben B Lawrence Vanessa V

BJPsych open 20231012 6

<h4>Background</h4>Approximately 15% of pregnant women experience anxiety disorders. Effective treatments exist but their acceptability during pregnancy, particularly exposure therapy, is not known.<h4>Aims</h4>To understand patient and therapist experiences of time-intensive and weekly exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders delivered during pregnancy. Trial registration: ISRCTN81203286.<h4>Method</h4>In-depth interviews were conducted with patients and therapists who had taken part in a f ...[more]

PMID: 37822231

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Project description:BackgroundGuided internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has been tested in several trials on social anxiety disorder (SAD) with moderate to large effects. The aims of this study were threefold. First, to compare the effects of ICBT including online discussion forum with a moderated online discussion forum only. Second, to investigate if knowledge about SAD increased following treatment and third to compare the effects of inexperienced versus experienced therapists on patient outcomes.MethodsA total of 204 participants with a primary diagnosis of SAD were included and randomized to either guided ICBT or the control condition. ICBT consisted of a 9-week treatment program which was guided by either psychology students at MSc level (n = 6) or by licensed psychologists with previous experience of ICBT (n = 7). A knowledge test dealing with social anxiety was administered before and after treatment. Measures of social anxiety and secondary outcomes dealing with general anxiety, depression, and quality of life were administered before and after treatment. In addition, a 1-year follow-up was conducted on the treated individuals.ResultsImmediately following treatment, the ICBT group showed superior outcome on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale self-report version with a between group posttreatment Hedges g effect size of g = 0.75. In addition, significant differences on all the secondary outcomes were observed. Gains were well maintained one year later. Knowledge, as assessed by the knowledge test, increased following treatment with little gain in the control group. Therapist experience did not result in different outcomes, but experienced therapists logged in less frequently compared to the inexperienced therapists, suggesting that they needed less time to support patients.DiscussionWe conclude that guided ICBT reduce symptoms of SAD, increase knowledge about SAD and that therapist experience does not make a difference apart from the finding that experienced therapist may require less time to guide patients.Trial registrationUMIN.ac.jp UMIN000001383.

Project description:IntroductionEmotional disorders (anxiety and depressive disorders) are a relevant public health concern associated with high prevalence, high costs, and important disability. Therefore, research priorities include designing and testing cost-effective interventions to reach everyone in need. Internet-delivered interventions for emotional disorders are effective and can help to disseminate and implement evidence-based treatments. However, although these treatments are generally effective, not all patients benefit from this treatment format equally. Blended treatments are a new form of intervention that combines the strengths of face-to-face and Internet approaches. Nevertheless, research on blended interventions has focused primarily on individual therapy, and less attention has been paid to the potential of using this format in group psychotherapy. This study aims to analyze the feasibility of blended transdiagnostic group CBT for emotional disorders. The current article describes the study protocol for this trial.Method and analysisA one-armed pilot trial will be conducted. Participants will be 30 adults suffering from DSM-5 anxiety and/or depressive disorders. The treatment consists of a blended transdiagnostic group intervention delivered during a period of 24 weeks. Groups of 6 to 10 patients will attend a total of eight 2-hour, face-to-face sessions, alternated with the use of an online platform where they will find the contents of the treatment protocol. The intervention has four core components: present-focused awareness, cognitive flexibility, identification and modification of behavioral and cognitive patterns of emotional avoidance, and interoceptive and situational exposure. These components are delivered in 16 modules. Assessments will be performed at baseline, during the treatment, at post-treatment, and at 3-month follow-up. Clinical and treatment acceptability outcomes will be included. Quantitative and qualitative data (participants' views about blended group psychotherapy) will be analyzed.Ethics and disseminationThe trial has received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of Universitat Jaume I (September 2019) and will be conducted in accordance with the study protocol, the Declaration of Helsinki, and good clinical practice. The results of this study will be disseminated by presentation at conferences and will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04008576. Registered 05 July 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04008576.

Dataset Information

Patient and therapist experiences of exposure therapy for anxiety-related disorders in pregnancy: qualitative analysis of a feasibility trial of intensive versus weekly CBT.

Background

Aims

Method

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Patient and therapist experiences of exposure therapy for anxiety-related disorders in pregnancy: qualitative analysis of a feasibility trial of intensive versus weekly CBT.

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