title: Prevention of anxiety disorders and depression by targeting excessive worry and rumination in adolescents and young adults: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of a preventive intervention for anxiety disorders and depression by targeting excessive levels of repetitive negative thinking (RNT; worry and rumination) in adolescents and young adults.
  
  
  
  Participants (N = 251, 83.7% female) showing elevated levels of RNT were randomly allocated to a 6-week cognitive-behavioral training delivered in a group, via the internet, or to a waitlist control condition. Self-report measures were collected at pre-intervention, post-intervention, 3 m and 12 m follow-up.
  
  
  
  Both versions of the preventive intervention significantly reduced RNT (d = 0.53 to 0.89), and symptom levels of anxiety and depression (d = 0.36 to 0.72). Effects were maintained until 12 m follow-up. The interventions resulted in a significantly lower 12 m prevalence rate of depression (group intervention: 15.3%, internet intervention: 14.7%) and generalized anxiety disorder (group intervention: 18.0%, internet intervention: 16.0%), compared to the waitlist (32.4% and 42.2%, respectively). Mediation analyses demonstrated that reductions in RNT mediated the effect of the interventions on the prevalence of depression and generalized anxiety disorder.
  
  
  
  Results provide evidence for the efficacy of this preventive intervention targeting RNT and support a selective prevention approach that specifically targets a known risk factor to prevent multiple disorders.
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, Department of Clinical Psychology, Weesperplein 4, 1018 XA Amsterdam, The Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam, Weesperplein 4, 1018 XA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.topper@ggz-nhn.nl.
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Topper
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, Department of Clinical Psychology, Weesperplein 4, 1018 XA Amsterdam, The Netherlands; The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, Korte Spinhuissteeg 3, 1012 CG, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul M G
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Emmelkamp
authors.affiliation: University of Exeter, School of Psychology, Mood Disorders Centre, Queens drive Exeter Ex4 4QQ, United Kingdom; University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley WA 6009, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.affiliation: LMU Munich, Department of Psychology, Leopoldstr. 13, D80802 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ehring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D013850:Thinking; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Prevention; Rumination; Worry