Anxiety Skills Training for Anxiety

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

+1 other location

Overseen byRobyn L. Shepardson, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?Anxiety symptoms are common among primary care patients, but anxiety is undertreated. Brief behavioral (non-medication) anxiety treatments are needed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a brief anxiety treatment designed for VA primary care is more effective at reducing anxiety symptoms and impairment in Veterans compared to usual care. The brief anxiety treatment, Veterans Anxiety Skills Training (VAST), was designed to be evidence-based (emphasis on cognitive-behavioral skills), transdiagnostic (applicable to a wide range of anxiety symptoms), feasible for integrated primary care (no more than 6 brief \[30-minute\] sessions), and Veteran-centered (tailored to Veterans and personalized to individual patients). A total of 170 adult Veteran primary care patients from the Syracuse and Western New York VA healthcare systems who are experiencing anxiety symptoms will be recruited and randomly assigned to receive the brief anxiety treatment or usual care. The investigators will compare anxiety symptom severity and functional impairment between the two groups at baseline and at post-assessment (at 16 weeks) and follow-up assessment (at 28 weeks). The investigators will also examine predictors of treatment response among those receiving VAST and whether providers deliver VAST as intended.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for Veterans aged 18 or older who have been seen at Syracuse or Western New York VA primary care clinics in the last year and are experiencing significant anxiety symptoms. It's not open to those with severe communication barriers, cognitive impairments that prevent informed consent, certain mental health diagnoses like OCD or SMI, current intensive psychotherapy for anxiety/depression, recent changes in psychotropic medications, severe depression, or PTSD.

Inclusion Criteria

Seen in the Syracuse or Western New York VAMC or CBOC primary care clinic in the past 12 months

I have significant anxiety symptoms recently.

I am 18 years old or older.

+1 more

Exclusion Criteria

I was diagnosed with PTSD or screened positive for it in the last 2 years.

I am currently in therapy for anxiety or depression.

I have recently started or changed my anxiety or depression medication.

+6 more

Participant Groups

The study compares a brief behavioral treatment called Veterans Anxiety Skills Training (VAST), which includes up to six 30-minute sessions focused on cognitive-behavioral skills tailored for Veterans' needs against usual care. The effectiveness of VAST will be measured by looking at the severity of anxiety symptoms and functional impairment before and after treatment.

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Intervention conditionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Modular cognitive-behavioral anxiety intervention tailored to and personalized for Veterans

Group II: Control conditionActive Control1 Intervention

Usual care anxiety treatment