Affiliations: Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Clinical Ageing Research Unit, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK | Neuropsychology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK | Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
Note: [] Correspondence to: Rachael A Lawson, Clinical Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK. Tel.: +44 191 248 1277; Fax: +44 191 248 1251; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Background: Anxiety disorder and anxiety symptomatology are common in Parkinson's disease (PD), with up to 25% patients experiencing significant worry. There is no systematic evidence base for the management of anxiety or anxiety related symptoms such as worry in PD. Objectives: To investigate whether cognitive therapy, delivered as bibliotherapy, is an effective intervention for worry in PD. Methods: 54 participants were randomly allocated to a guided reading group and a control group. The guided reading group were given a CBT based self-help resource called What? Me Worry!?! to work through over eight weeks, with telephone support at two week intervals. Controls were given information about worry only, and one phone call. Measures of worry, intolerance of uncertainty, metacognitions and health status were taken at baseline and after 3 months. Results: Analysable data were obtained for 15 controls and 17 from the guided reading group. Worry and intolerance of uncertainty were significantly reduced in the guided reading group. However, no significant differences were found for the follow up measures between the groups. Conclusions: Bibliotherapy has the potential to be useful and cost effective as a management strategy for the treatment of worry in people with PD.
