title: Evaluation of a brief 4-session psychoeducation procedure for high  worriers based on the mood-as-input hypothesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the ubiquity of worrying as a consuming and distressing activity at both clinical and sub-clinical levels, it is important to develop theory-driven procedures that address worrying and allow worriers to manage this activity. This paper describes the development and testing of a psychoeducation procedure based on mood-as-input hypothesis, which is a transdiagnostic model that describes a proximal mechanism for perseverative worrying. The study used nonclinical participants meeting IAPT criteria indicating GAD symptomatology.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 4 sessions, participants in experimental groups received psychoeducation about the basic principles of the mood-as-input hypothesis and received guidance on how to identify and change worry-relevant goal-directed decision rules and negative moods. Participants in the psychoeducation conditions were compared with participants in a befriending control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Psychoeducation about the model significantly reduced PSWQ scores at follow-up compared with the befriending control condition (a between-groups large effect size, Cohen's d = 1.05), and the homework tasks undertaken by the psychoeducation groups raised mood and reduced worry immediately. At follow up 48.2% of participants in the psychoeducation groups were below the recommended cut-off for identifying GAD symptomatology compared with 20% of participants in the control condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was conducted on a small sample, high-worry student population, without a formal diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This brief, low-intensity procedure is potentially adaptable to online or self-help procedures, and can be integrated into fuller cognitive therapy packages.
authors.forename: Suzanne R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meeten
authors.forename: Fergal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Graham C L
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Davey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult