From the Lab to the Clinic: Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety Disorders

A controversy exists over whether results of randomized controlled trials of psychological treatment methods generalize to routine clinical practice. To examine the generalizability of cognitive-behavioral interventions for anxiety disorders, a meta-analysis of 11 effectiveness studies was conducted. Only studies that closely approximated real-world clinical practice were included in the present meta-analysis (e.g., studies were conducted in a nonuniversity setting, practitioners had regular caseloads, clients were not excluded if they had comorbid conditions). Cognitive-behavioral interventions were associated with significant improvement in anxiety symptoms at the end of treatment (d(w) = 1.35) and again at follow-up (d(w) = 1.14). On the basis of these results, it seems that cognitive-behavioral interventions for anxiety disorders generalize to real-world clinical practice.