A self-help treatment program for anxiety state patients

The effects of anxiety management training in reducing generalized anxiety using a self-help format were examined. Twenty-seven anxiety state patients were randomly allocated to one of three groups which differed only in the length of time patients waited for treatment. Self-ratings of anxiety and depression were made at the start of the wait period, before and after treatment, and 1 and 3 months later. Assessments were also made by an independent assessor. There was a significant reduction in anxiety level at the end of treatment, and improvement was maintained during the follow-up period. Comparison between anxiety training and the no-treatment condition showed that the changes during treatment were mainly due to the effects of the treatment rather than other factors such as self-monitoring. The results are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of selfhelp methods in reducing anxiety and in comparison with the results of previous studies.