Efficacy of group psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (16th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barkowski, Sarah; Schwartze, Dominique; Strauss, Bernhard; Burlingame, Gary M.; Rosendahl, Jenny
• Is Part Of: Psychotherapy research. Volume 30:Number 8(2020)
• Page Start: 965
• Page End: 982
• Publication Date: 2020-11-16
• Subjects: group psychotherapy -- anxiety -- cognitive behavior therapy -- outcome research -- meta-analysis -- researcher allegiance; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Research -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychothérapie -- Périodiques; Psychothérapie -- Recherche -- Périodiques; 616.891405
• DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2020.1729440
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1050-3307

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective: This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of group psychotherapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Method: A comprehensive literature search using PubMed, PsychInfo, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and manual searches was conducted to locate randomized controlled trials. We found 57 eligible studies ( k = 76 comparisons) including 3656 participants receiving group psychotherapy or an alternative treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. Results: Effect size estimates show that group psychotherapy reduces specific symptoms of anxiety disorders more effectively than no-treatment control groups ( g = 0.92, [0.81; 1.03], k = 43) and treatments providing common unspecific treatment factors ( g = 0.29 [0.10; 0.48], k = 12). No significant differences were found compared to individual psychotherapy ( g = 0.24 [−0.09; 0.57], k = 7) or pharmacotherapy ( g = −0.05 [−0.33; 0.23], k = 6). The effects were unrelated to factors of the group treatment. Within head-to-head studies, a significant moderating effect emerged for researcher allegiance. Conclusions: Our results support the efficacy of group psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. They indicate that mixed-diagnoses groups are equally effective as diagnosis-specific groups, although further evidence is required. Future primary studies should address differential effectiveness, include a wider range of therapeutic approaches as well as active comparison groups.