Teletherapy vs. In-Person Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Third-Wave CBT via Teletherapy, Third-Wave CBT In-Person.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Basic parameters: 18 years — 45 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Pakistan
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Teletherapy and In-Person Third-Wave CBT for Generalized Anxiety Disorders
Overview
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the clinical efficacy of teletherapy versus in-person third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among young individuals aged 18-45 years in Pakistan. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is teletherapy as effective as in-person therapy in reducing anxiety symptoms and stress? * Do therapeutic alliance, treatment adherence, and social support influence treatment outcomes differently across delivery methods? Researchers will compare the teletherapy group (remote sessions via digital platforms) and the in-person therapy group (face-to-face sessions) to evaluate differences in symptom reduction, general health improvement, and moderating factors like therapeutic alliance. Participants will: * Undergo a 8-week intervention with weekly structured third-wave CBT sessions. * Complete assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up using validated scales (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 \[GAD-7\], Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale \[HAM-A\]). * Engage in modules including mindfulness, behavioral activation, and exposure therapy, adapted for their assigned delivery method. This study aims to address gaps in mental health accessibility in Pakistan by evaluating whether teletherapy can serve as a viable alternative to traditional in-person care.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) compares the efficacy of teletherapy versus traditional in-person delivery of third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among adults (aged 18-45 years) in Pakistan. Conducted at Allied Hospital II, Faisalabad, the study will randomize eligible participants(diagnosed via Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision \[DSM-5-TR\] criteria) into two parallel arms: (1) a teletherapy group receiving 12 weekly sessions via secure video conferencing, and (2) an in-person group attending face-to-face sessions with identical content. Both interventions will follow a standardized third-wave CBT protocol integrating mindfulness, acceptance, and behavioral strategies. Primary outcomes include changes in anxiety severity (measured by Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale \[HAM-A\] and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 \[GAD-7\]) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 \[PHQ-9\]). Secondary outcomes assess perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale \[PSS\]), work and social adjustment (Work and Social Adjustment Scale \[WSAS\]) and therapeutic alliance (Working Alliance Inventory \[WAI\]). Assessments will occur at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The study aims to address critical gaps in mental healthcare accessibility in resource-limited settings by evaluating whether teletherapy can achieve comparable outcomes to in-person therapy. Ethical approval will be obtained from GCUF's Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the trial adheres to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. Results may inform policy decisions to expand remote mental health services in Pakistan.
Interventions
- Behavioral Third-Wave CBT via Teletherapy
Twelve weekly 40-minute remote sessions via video conferencing, including mindfulness, behavioral activation, and exposure therapy. - Behavioral Third-Wave CBT In-Person
Twelve weekly 40-minute face-to-face sessions with identical third-wave CBT content.
Primary outcome measures
- Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) [Time frame: 3 Months]
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) [Time frame: 3 Months]
- Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) [Time frame: 3 Months]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) [Time frame: 3 Months]
- Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) [Time frame: 3 Months]
- Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) [Time frame: 3 Months]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- age ≥18-≤45 years -meeting the diagnostic criteria according to DSM-5 TR -ability to understand and read English -ability to use digital technology and having access to the Internet -signed an informed consent form
Exclusion criteria
- the presence of risk of suicide and self-destructive behaviors -presence of another severe mental disorder (i.e., substance abuse, psychotic disorder, or bipolar disorder) -presence of severe personality disorder -presence of a medical condition whose severity or characteristics prevent participation in treatment -receiving another psychological treatment during the study
- an increase or change in medication during the study period
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Pakistan · 1 center
- Allied Hospital II — Faisalabad
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07119515 · GCUF-IRB-585-2025