Comparing the effectiveness of modular cognitive-‎behavioral therapy, ‎‏‏pharmacotherapy (paroxetine) and their combination in intolerance of uncertainty and meta-worry‎ in female university students with generalized anxiety disorder

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy, modular cognitive-‎behavioral therapy ‎‏‏and their combination in intolerance of uncertainty and meta-worry‎ in female university students with generalized anxiety disorder.

The present study was a ‎semi-experimental ‎research. The statistical population comprised all female students of Mashhad Islamic Azad University, of which 60 people were selected by convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and one control group. All groups were initially pretested. Then, the first experimental group received modular cognitive-behavioral therapy during ten 90-minute sessions; the second experimental group received pharmacotherapy and one daily dose of paroxetine, and the third experimental group received combination therapy, but the control group was placed on the waiting list. At the end of the treatment period and three months thereafter, the participants were given a posttest and a follow-up test. To collect information, Freeston et al.’s (1994) Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale and Wells Anxious Thoughts Inventory (2005) were used. The data were analyzed based on the repeated measures analysis of variance and with the help of SPSS-24.

The results demonstrated that all three therapeutic approaches compared to the control group were effective in reducing intolerance of uncertainty and meta-worry. But combination therapy has been significantly superior to any of the two treatment approaches alone (p <0.05).

Considering the biological and psychological underpinnings of generalized anxiety disorder, the combination of psychological and drug therapies seems to be a more effective approach in improving anxiety states.