The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral and religious cognitive therapy on anxiety in students

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy and religious cognitive therapy on anxiety in Tehranian high school students. In an experimental study, Forty-five students with high anxiety levels were randomly assigned to a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), religious cognitive therapy (RCT), or control groups. CBT and RCT were applied to the experimental groups during eight sessions once per week, whereas the control group did not receive any therapy. Cattle’s Anxiety Scale was used as the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up for each of the three groups. Analysis of covariance was applied to analyze the data. The analysis of data showed that mean anxiety scores in the experimental groups were significantly lower than those in the control group on the post test and follow-up. However, no significant difference was observed between the effectiveness of CBT and RCT for decreasing anxiety in students. CBT and RCT were remarkably effective for reducing anxiety in students. These results have implications for future research in the field of multidimensional psychotherapy for psychological disorders.