A randomized controlled trial of a nursing psychotherapeutic intervention for anxiety in adult psychiatric outpatients
Funding information:
The main researcher received a grant from Ordem dos Enfermeiros, Secção Regional do Norte – Portugal (Research Grant “Maria Aurora Bessa”). The funding source had no involvement in the study. For the remaining authors, none has been declared.
Abstract
Aim
To evaluate the short‐term efficacy of a psychotherapeutic intervention in nursing on Portuguese adult psychiatric outpatients with the nursing diagnosis “anxiety.”
Background
Several efficacious forms of treatment for anxiety are available, including different forms of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. However, literature tends to favour findings from studies on the efficacy of psychotherapies and therapies provided by nurses to the detriment of those arising from studies on the efficacy of nursing psychotherapeutic interventions (interventions which are classified, for instance, on Nursing Interventions Classification).
Design
Randomized controlled trial.
Methods
The study was performed, between November 2016 ‐ April 2017, at a psychiatry outpatient ward. Participants were randomly allocated to an intervention group (N = 29) or a treatment‐as‐usual control group (N = 31). Patients in the intervention group received psychopharmacotherapy with interventions integrated in the Nursing Interventions Classification for the nursing diagnosis “anxiety.” A treatment‐as‐usual control group received only psychopharmacotherapy (if applicable). Anxiety level and anxiety self‐control were the primary outcomes.
Results
Patients from both groups had reduced anxiety levels, between the pre‐test and the posttest assessment; however, according to analysis of means, patients in the intervention group displayed significantly better results than those of the control group. Furthermore, only patients in the intervention group presented significant improvements in anxiety self‐control.
Conclusion
This study demonstrated the short‐term efficacy of this psychotherapeutic intervention model in nursing in the decrease of anxiety level and improvement of anxiety self‐control in a group of psychiatric outpatients with pathological anxiety.
Trial Registration Number: NCT02930473.
