The impact of psychological treatment on intolerance of uncertainty in generalized anxiety disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Wilson, EJ; Abbott, MJ; Norton, AR

The impact of psychological treatment on intolerance of uncertainty in generalized anxiety disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Wilson, EJ Abbott, MJ Norton, AR

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: J Anxiety Disord, 2023, 97, pp. 102729
Issue Date:: 2023-06

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wilson, EJ
dc.contributor.author	Abbott, MJ
dc.contributor.author	Norton, AR
dc.date.accessioned	2024-04-09T05:12:58Z
dc.date.available	2023-05-18
dc.date.available	2024-04-09T05:12:58Z
dc.date.issued	2023-06
dc.identifier.citation	J Anxiety Disord, 2023, 97, pp. 102729
dc.identifier.issn	0887-6185
dc.identifier.issn	1873-7897
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177613
dc.description.abstract	Research has demonstrated a strong link between intolerance of uncertainty and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate how effective evidence-based psychological treatments are at reducing intolerance of uncertainty for adults with GAD. An extensive literature search identified 26 eligible studies, with a total of 1199 participants with GAD. Psychological treatments (k = 32 treatment groups) yielded large significant within-group effect size from pre- to post-treatment and pre-treatment to follow-up for intolerance of uncertainty (g = 0.88; g = 1.05), as well as related symptoms including worry (g = 1.32; g = 1.45), anxiety (g = 0.94; g = 1.04) and depression (g = 0.96; g = 1.00). Psychological treatment also yielded a large significant between-group effect on intolerance of uncertainty (g = 1.35). Subgroups analysis found that CBT that directly targeted intolerance of uncertainty (CBT-IU) throughout treatment was significantly more effective than general CBT at reducing intolerance of uncertainty (p < 0.01) and worry (p < 0.01) from pre- to post treatment, however, this result was not maintained at follow-up. Meta-regression analyses supported this finding as increases in the amount of time spent directly targeting intolerance of uncertainty, significantly increased the effect size for both intolerance of uncertainty (z = 2.01, p < 0.01) and worry (z = 2.23, p < 0.01). Overall, these findings indicate that psychological treatments are effective at reducing IU, and related symptom measures of GAD.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	J Anxiety Disord
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.janxdis.2023.102729
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1103 Clinical Sciences, 1701 Psychology
dc.subject.classification	Clinical Psychology
dc.subject.classification	5203 Clinical and health psychology
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Uncertainty
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety Disorders
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety
dc.subject.mesh	Regression Analysis
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Uncertainty
dc.subject.mesh	Regression Analysis
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety Disorders
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Uncertainty
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety Disorders
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety
dc.subject.mesh	Regression Analysis
dc.title	The impact of psychological treatment on intolerance of uncertainty in generalized anxiety disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	97
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences
utslib.for	1701 Psychology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-04-09T05:12:57Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	97

Abstract:

Research has demonstrated a strong link between intolerance of uncertainty and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate how effective evidence-based psychological treatments are at reducing intolerance of uncertainty for adults with GAD. An extensive literature search identified 26 eligible studies, with a total of 1199 participants with GAD. Psychological treatments (k = 32 treatment groups) yielded large significant within-group effect size from pre- to post-treatment and pre-treatment to follow-up for intolerance of uncertainty (g = 0.88; g = 1.05), as well as related symptoms including worry (g = 1.32; g = 1.45), anxiety (g = 0.94; g = 1.04) and depression (g = 0.96; g = 1.00). Psychological treatment also yielded a large significant between-group effect on intolerance of uncertainty (g = 1.35). Subgroups analysis found that CBT that directly targeted intolerance of uncertainty (CBT-IU) throughout treatment was significantly more effective than general CBT at reducing intolerance of uncertainty (p < 0.01) and worry (p < 0.01) from pre- to post treatment, however, this result was not maintained at follow-up. Meta-regression analyses supported this finding as increases in the amount of time spent directly targeting intolerance of uncertainty, significantly increased the effect size for both intolerance of uncertainty (z = 2.01, p < 0.01) and worry (z = 2.23, p < 0.01). Overall, these findings indicate that psychological treatments are effective at reducing IU, and related symptom measures of GAD.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177613