title: Promoting walking as an adjunct intervention to group cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders--a pilot group randomized trial.
abstract: A group randomized trial of adding a home-based walking program to a standard group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT+EX) was compared with groups receiving GCBT and educational sessions (GCBT+ED). The study was implemented in an outpatient clinic providing GCBT for clients diagnosed with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia. Pre- and post-treatment measures included the self-report depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) and measures of physical activity. From January 2004 to May 2005, six groups were allocated to GCBT+EX (n=38) and five to GCBT+ED (n=36). Analysis of covariance for completed cases (GCBT+EX, n=21; GCBT+ED, n=20), adjusting for the group design, baseline DASS-21 scores, and anxiety diagnosis showed significant effect for GCBT+EX on depression, anxiety, and stress (regression coefficients=-6.21, -3.41, and -5.14, respectively, p<0.05) compared to the GCBT+ED. The potential of exercise interventions as adjunct to GCBT for anxiety disorder needs to be further explored.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Health, School of Public Health, the University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. dafnam@health.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Dafna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merom
authors.forename: Philayrath
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phongsavan
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Tien
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chey
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marnane
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.forename: Derrick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silove
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*