Cited by 243Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesDigital Mental Health InterventionsMental Health Treatment and Access

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 459 of the 459 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 657 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and generalised anxiety disorder

Open access

Abstract

Objective: To provide practical clinical guidance for the treatment of adults with panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and generalised anxiety disorder in Australia and New Zealand. Method: Relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical trials were identified by searching PsycINFO, Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases. Additional relevant studies were identified from reference lists of identified articles, grey literature and literature known to the working group. Evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations were formulated by synthesising the evidence from efficacy studies, considering effectiveness in routine practice, accessibility and availability of treatment options in Australia and New Zealand, fidelity, acceptability to patients, safety and costs. The draft guidelines were reviewed by expert and clinical advisors, key stakeholders, professional bodies, and specialist groups with interest and expertise in anxiety disorders. Results: The guidelines recommend a pragmatic approach beginning with psychoeducation and advice on lifestyle factors, followed by initial treatment selected in collaboration with the patient from evidence-based options, taking into account symptom severity, patient preference, accessibility and cost. Recommended initial treatment options for all three anxiety disorders are cognitive–behavioural therapy (face-to-face or delivered by computer, tablet or smartphone application), pharmacotherapy (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor together with advice about graded exposure to anxiety triggers), or the combination of cognitive–behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy. Conclusion: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and generalised anxiety disorder provide up-to-date guidance and advice on the management of these disorders for use by health professionals in Australia and New Zealand.

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Crossref · 10.1177/0004867418799453

Cites

459 of 459 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

406 Not checked yet · 89 No basis given · 53 Own interpretation · 14 Own method · 9 Own result

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 220
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  • The quote only partly states this claim. 5
290 of 290
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Suicide risk is highest when major depression is also present.

    “The risk of suicide is greatest when there is comorbid major depression.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Improvement with CBT or an antidepressant usually appears within 4-6 weeks.

    “It will usually take 4-6 weeks to see improvement, whether cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) or an antidepressant is used, and most people can tolerate this.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Medication is rarely needed for immediate symptom relief.

    “Only rarely is there any need to prescribe medication for the acute relief of symptoms.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Comorbid conditions slow recovery and reduce response to active treatment.

    “Comorbidity has been associated with a slower rate of recovery and reduced response during active treatment.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    CBT's effect size advantage is largest against wait-list or no treatment and smaller against psychological placebo, pill placebo or usual care.

    “Effect size superiority is, as expected, greatest when CBT is compared with wait-list or no treatment, and less when compared to a psychological or pill placebo, or treatment as usual.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Roughly half of CBT trial participants improve enough to no longer meet diagnostic criteria.

    “For about half of the participants in clinical trials of CBT, symptoms improve to the point that they no longer meet criteria for the disorder.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    CBT reduces disability and improves quality of life.

    “Disability decreases and quality of life improves.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Most people with these anxiety disorders first seek care in primary care.

    “Most patients with these anxiety disorders first present for treatment to primary care, where effective treatment can be provided or arranged.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Severe or chronic anxiety disorders usually require specialist psychiatric and psychological care.

    “Those with severe or chronic anxiety disorders usually need specialist psychiatric and psychological treatment.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Unguided self-help has poor documentation and likely varies widely in effectiveness.

    “The effectiveness of unguided self-help (including information and written self-directed treatment guides) is poorly documented and is likely to vary significantly between the extremely wide range of available sources/interventions.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Face-to-face CBT effectiveness is well documented.

    “The effectiveness of face-to-face CBT is well documented.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    dCBT effectiveness is well documented.

    “The effectiveness of dCBT is well documented.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Medication effectiveness is well documented.

    “The effectiveness of medication is well documented.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Unsupervised self-help is generally less effective than self-help completed with the assistance of a therapist.

    “however unsupervised self-help is generally less effective than self-help that is completed with the assistance of a therapist.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The potential risks of cognitive-behavioural therapy have not been systematically evaluated in the published literature.

    “While the potential risks of CBT have not been systematically evaluated in published literature, a number of problems and barriers may be encountered.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Effective face-to-face cognitive-behavioural therapy requires considerable therapist training and expertise.

    “Effective face-to-face CBT requires considerable therapist training and expertise.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Poorly conducted or poorly paced cognitive-behavioural therapy may be ineffective or emotionally distressing, which may lead to treatment discontinuation and negative attitudes to further trials of cognitive-behavioural therapy.

    “Poorly conducted or poorly paced CBT may be ineffective or emotionally distressing, both of which may lead to treatment discontinuation and negative attitudes to further trials of CBT.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Cost and access are frequently problematic for patients.

    “Cost and access are frequently problematic for patients.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Cognitive-behavioural therapy requires emotional effort and persistence on the part of patients.

    “CBT requires emotional effort and persistence on the part of patients.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Anxiety associated with exposure tasks can be distressing.

    “Anxiety associated with exposure tasks can be distressing.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Cognitive-behavioural therapy may increase symptomatic distress in the short term, and there is a dropout rate similar to that of antidepressant pharmacotherapy.

    “CBT may increase symptomatic distress in the short term, and there is a dropout rate similar to that of antidepressant pharmacotherapy.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    People with anxiety, particularly those with panic disorder but also those with other anxiety disorders, are very aware of and concerned about bodily symptoms.

    “People with anxiety (particularly those with panic disorder, but also those with other anxiety disorders) are very aware of, and concerned about bodily symptoms.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Most adverse effects of antidepressants are likely to be minor and time-limited.

    “Most adverse effects are likely to be minor and time-limited.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The main issue with adverse effects is not the effects themselves but the potential to misinterpret them as signs of serious illness.

    “The main issue is not the adverse effects themselves, but the potential to misinterpret these as signs of serious illness.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is usually no need to prescribe a sedating medication concurrently with an antidepressant for anxiety.

    “There is usually no need to prescribe a sedating medication concurrently.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Response times for antidepressants in anxiety are longer than for depression.

    “Response times are longer than for depression.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is no advantage to increasing the minimal therapeutic dose prior to 6 weeks.

    “There is no advantage to increasing the minimal therapeutic dose prior to this time.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In panic disorder, panic attacks are initially unexpected or uncued.

    “In panic disorder, panic attacks are, at least initially, reported as unexpected or uncued.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Persistent concern or behavioural change due to fear of further panic attacks can differentiate panic disorder from panic attacks associated with depression and bipolar disorder.

    “A further helpful component of the differential diagnosis is establishing whether there is persistent concern or behavioural change because of fear of further panic attacks.This may differentiate panic disorder from panic attacks associated with depression and bipolar disorder.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In panic disorder, concern about symptoms is greatest during panic attacks, autonomic hyperactivity is prominent, and catastrophic fears are immediate; in illness anxiety disorder, fears are more distant.

    “However, in panic disorder, people are most concerned about these symptoms during the panic attacks, report symptoms of autonomic hyperactivity in particular, and the focus of their catastrophic fears is immediate (e.g.heart attack).In illness anxiety disorder, these fears are more distant (e.g.cancer).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Psychiatric comorbidity increases the severity of panic disorder, functional impairment, economic costs, and is associated with worse outcomes.

    “It is important to determine the presence of psychiatric comorbidity because this has been shown to increase the severity of the illness, functional impairment, economic costs, and is associated with worse outcomes.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    People with social anxiety disorder are fearful of negative judgment and become anxious in personally relevant situations involving possible or actual scrutiny, interaction, or performance before others.

    “People with SAD are fearful of being negatively judged by others.They become anxious in personally relevant situations that may involve possible or actual scrutiny by other people, interaction with other people or performance before other people (Table 10).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Social anxiety disorder is mostly a chronic disorder.

    “SAD is mostly a chronic disorder.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Social anxiety disorder causes a significant burden of disease that has been poorly recognised.

    “SAD causes a significant burden of disease that has been poorly recognised.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Normal social anxiety and shyness occur across performance, scrutiny and interaction situations and differ from SAD by lacking persistence, generalisation, impairment and significant distress.

    “Normal social anxiety and shyness can occur across a range of situations involving performance, scrutiny and interaction and is differentiated from SAD by the lack of persistence, generalisation, impairment and significant distress.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    SAD is most commonly confused with agoraphobia because of overlap in feared situations, especially crowded situations where escape would be difficult.

    “SAD is most commonly confused with agoraphobia because of the overlap in feared situations, especially crowded situations in which escape would be difficult such as shops, public transport, cinemas and restaurants.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    SAD and agoraphobia can be differentiated by the principal underlying fear: negative evaluation in SAD and fear of harm in agoraphobia.

    “The disorders can be differentiated by determining the principal underlying fear in each case: negative evaluation in SAD, and fear of coming to mental or physical harm in agoraphobia.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Major depression may present with social anxiety and loss of confidence, and in such cases the longitudinal history of social evaluative concerns from adolescence is absent.

    “Major depression may present with social anxiety and loss of confidence.In such cases, the longitudinal history of distressing and impairing social evaluative concerns dating from adolescence will be absent.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Body dysmorphic disorder may present with social anxiety due to concerns that others will notice a body part perceived as repugnant.

    “Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder may present with social anxiety due to concerns that others will notice a body part perceived to be repugnant.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Narcissistic personality traits may present with self-reported social anxiety related to fears that others may not appreciate the person's superiority.

    “Occasionally, individuals with narcissistic personality traits may present with self-reported social anxiety.This is usually related to fears that in limited social interactions others may not appreciate the superiority of the person's talents or abilities.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Avoidant personality disorder may be differentiated from SAD by a more globally negative self-view and a debilitating fear of rejection leading to extensive avoidance.

    “Avoidant personality disorder may be differentiated by the more globally negative self-view, and a debilitating fear of rejection that leads to extensive avoidance.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Avoidant personality disorder is both a differential diagnosis for SAD and a commonly comorbid condition.

    “It is both a differential diagnosis and also a commonly comorbid condition.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    GAD can include worries about social evaluation.

    “GAD can include worries about social evaluation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Eating disorders include many social concerns, and SAD often includes poor body image.

    “Eating disorders include many social concerns, and SAD will often include poor body image.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    DSM-5 allows a diagnosis of SAD in the presence of medical conditions if the anxiety is out of proportion to what would normally be expected.

    “DSM-5 allows a diagnosis of SAD in the presence of medical conditions, if the anxiety is out of proportion to what would normally be expected.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Brofaromine is not available in Australia or New Zealand.

    “Brofaromine is not available in Australia or New Zealand.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    d-cycloserine is a partial agonist at the NMDA receptor.

    “d-cycloserine is a partial agonist at the N-methyl-daspartate (NMDA) receptor.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Extinction of conditioned fear involves active learning that suppresses or inhibits the original fear memory, mediated by NMDA receptors in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex.

    “Extinction of conditioned fear involves an active form of learning that acts to suppress or inhibit the original fear memory: this process is mediated by NMDA receptors in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Beta blockers such as atenolol and propranolol are widely prescribed for social anxiety.

    “Beta blockers, such as atenolol and propranolol, are widely prescribed for social anxiety.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Beta blockers are not anxiolytic but decrease tremor and heart rate through reduction of sympathetic tone.

    “They are not anxiolytic but decrease tremor and heart rate through reduction of sympathetic tone.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Fears in SAD are usually more general than a focus on tremor or heart rate.

    “This should in fact not be surprising, since fears in SAD are usually more general than a focus on tremor or heart rate.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The optimal duration of treatment for GAD has not been determined.

    “The optimal duration of treatment has not been determined.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The efficacy of benzodiazepines as a long-term pharmacotherapy strategy in GAD has not been examined.

    “The efficacy of benzodiazepines as a long-term pharmacotherapy strategy in GAD has not been examined.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    There are no direct comparisons between dCBT and face-to-face CBT.

    “We are unaware of any direct comparisons between dCBT and face-to-face CBT.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is little data available on the rate of treatment resistance in panic disorder, SAD and GAD.

    “There is little data available on the rate of treatment resistance in panic disorder, SAD and GAD.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Older adults are more vulnerable to hyponatraemia and other adverse effects from antidepressants.

    “Older people are also more susceptible to antidepressant-induced hyponatraemia and other adverse events.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Trauma history is generally linked to a higher risk of anxiety disorders.

    “A history of trauma in general is associated with increased risk of anxiety disorders.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced chronic trauma across generations.

    “Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced chronic, inter-generational trauma.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    SSRIs are beneficial in moderate-to-severe anxiety disorders.

    “SSRIs are of benefit in moderate-to-severe anxiety disorders, but clinicians must take into account safety with breastfeeding before prescribing any medication.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Panic disorder has no paediatric-specific diagnostic criteria and full panic disorder is uncommon before late adolescence.

    “There are no paediatric-specific criteria for panic disorder, and full-blown panic disorder is relatively rare prior to late adolescence.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many older people take other medications that may interact or have additive adverse effects with anxiety medications.

    “The general treatment recommendations stand and the indication for CBT (faceto-face or dCBT) is emphasised because many older people are taking a range of other medications that may present a risk of interaction or additive adverse effects with medications for anxiety disorders.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Nursing mothers can find CBT difficult because of time pressures, though digital CBT reduces this problem.

    “Nursing mothers can find CBT difficult due to time pressures, although this is less of a problem with dCBT.”
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Citations

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Items 201–400 of 459

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Metadata

Authors
Andrews, G., Bell, C., Boyce, P., Gale, C., Lampe, L., Marwat, O., Rapee, R., & Wilkins, G.
Affiliations
  • Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (AU)
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
Corresponding author
Andrews, Gavin
Venue
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2018-11-30
Volume
52
Issue
12
Pages
1109-1172
ISSN
  • 0004-8674 (ISSN-L)
  • 1440-1614
OpenAlex
W2902556446
Cited by
243
References
453
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 4
FWCI
22.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, graded exposure, psychoeducation, lifestyle factors, treatment selection, New Zealand

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