Comparing Transdiagnostic Metacognitive Therapy and Disorder-Specific Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in Adults

What this Trial Is About

Anxiety disorders are common mental health conditions worldwide, typically treated with medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT. However, only about half of patients achieve remission with CBT, and some discontinue treatment early. This research aims to compare a newer approach called transdiagnostic metacognitive therapy tMCT, which targets beliefs about thinking itself, with standard disorder-specific CBT in patients with anxiety disorders. The study also looks at cost-effectiveness and factors that might explain treatment effects. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either tMCT, a single therapy protocol addressing metacognitions across disorders, or disorder-specific CBT targeting thoughts and behaviors related to their diagnosis. Treatments are delivered face-to-face in individual sessions by trained therapists in psychiatric care in Stockholm, Sweden. The study uses a randomized controlled design with equal allocation to each therapy group, and therapists must demonstrate competence in their assigned approach. Throughout the study, patients complete assessments before treatment, after treatment up to 13 weeks, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. These include questionnaires measuring worry, social anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as clinical ratings and quality of life measures. Independent assessors evaluate diagnoses after treatment. The study plans to analyze changes over time and compare how the two therapies affect symptoms and costs. Participation includes regular therapy sessions and follow-up evaluations over one year.

Transdiagnostic Metacognitive Therapy Compared to Disorder-Specific Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders