III. How well does Behavioural Therapy relieve anxiety? What do studies show?

Course speech

Different forms of behavioural exercises have been widely accepted as successful treatment for anxiety disorders. There is a wide body of research showing immediate and long-term reduction of anxiety. Specific styles of behavioural therapy are also successful for different types of anxiety disorders. Studies have shown that:

  • Behaviourally-based therapies and CBT have been successful in lowering anxiety symptoms connected with most anxiety disorders and phobias [14, 22].
  • Medication, although useful for many people with anxiety, success rates of up to 65% have been found with CBT and other behavioural approaches without having to rely on medication [11].
  • The benefits of behavioural treatments do not decrease when used in combination with other treatments [11], in fact it is quite the opposite - the effects of anxiety reduction are actually prolonged [4] when combined with CBT techniques [22].
  • Behavioural treatments when combined with social skills training and exposure therapy, the positive effects are more long-term and last well after the therapy session ends [4,22].
  • Systematic Desensitization worked best in treating personality or long-term anxiety [7], particularly in situation-based anxiety in both men and women [14].
  • Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) reduces 16-44% of anxiety symptom levels associated with phobias [11].
  • Written exposure therapy is more effective in reducing psychological and somatic (relating to the body) symptoms associated with General Anxiety Disorder when compared with controlled cases. Controlled cases without the focused exposure therapy only showed a reduction in bodily symptoms associated with anxiety [13].
  • Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) is effective in treating situational anxiety and Social Anxiety Disorder [21].
  • Prolonged exposure therapy was found to be more successful with people who have had traumatic experiences or have been diagnosed with PTSD [15], particularly effective in women with PTSD [10].
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Re-processing (EMDR) can lower symptoms in those with PTSD, and help to reduce anxiety among those with single or limited traumatic experience [15].