The Comparison of Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Psychopharmacological Intervention for Women with Anxiety Disorders (GAD, SAD & OCD)

Abstract

The first aim of the present research is to determine the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in comparison to psychopharmacological intervention on Iranian women with Anxiety disorders. The second aim of the research is to find the relationship between the irrational beliefs and maladaptive thinking with anxiety disorder and the third aim of the research is to investigate which method of treatment causes more satisfaction in the patient. In regard to the research issue, the sample included 300 women with the average age of 18 to 45 who were selected randomly of those patients with anxiety disorders (general anxiety disorder GAD, obsessive compulsive disorder OCD, social anxiety disorder SAD) who referred to counseling and mental health centers and private offices in Eslamshahr city (Tehran state). They were divided into 6 groups: 1) The first three groups with one of these three disorders (GAD, OCD and SAD) referred to Cognitive Behavior Therapy voluntarily; 2) The other three groups with the same disorders referred to the psychiatrist for the psychopharmacological intervention voluntarily. The psychopharmacological intervention course was at least 6 months and the total period of CBT was 12 to 16 sessions (held every week). The diagnosis interview was performed on the basis of DSM-IV-TR 2000 before the treatment. Then the check-list SCL90-R test was performed after diagnosis by the psychologist and in the next session the Jones’ irrational beliefs test (IBT) was performed. Research method is of the quasi-experimental method with pre-test and post-test. Generally, the present study findings verify the positive effect of the cognitive-behavior therapy on the change of irrational beliefs, maladaptive thinking and the decrease of symptoms and in the end the research points out that CBT causes more satisfaction than the other treatment in patients; while the psychopharmacological intervention just decreases the symptoms of the disorders, less than CBT. At the end of treatments, both of groups answered to the satisfaction of treatment questioner. It showed that patients were more satisfied with CBT than psychopharmacological intervention. The result of the research showed that CBT not only decreased the symptoms of anxiety disorders but also changed the patients’ irrational beliefs, maladaptive thinking and thinking methods. It should be mentioned that such a phenomenon is accompanied by attaining new social skills and in the end, the effect of CBT will be more permanent and stable and patients are not caught in a kind of recovery-relapse cycle.