Negative life events and avoidant coping are associated with poorer long-term outcome in older adults treated for generalized anxiety disorder
Open accessAbstract
The objective of this investigation was to explore predictors of long-term outcome following treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults. A small sample of older adults (N = 27) were randomized into a modular cognitive behavioral therapy protocol or enhanced community treatment for 12 weeks and followed for one year. Results from random effects regression models indicated that baseline levels of anxiety symptoms, avoidant coping, and negative life events are significantly associated with anxiety across follow-up. These preliminary data suggest that negative life events and avoidant coping may merit further investigation as predictors of long-term treatment outcome in geriatric GAD.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Avoidance coping is associated with more depression and persistent anxiety.
“Additionally, using avoidance as a coping strategy is also associated with increased depression (Andrew & Dulin, 2007) and persistent anxiety (Ayers et al., 2010).”
From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy With Older Adults: Rationale and Considerations (2013) · cites this paper as Ayers et al., 2010
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593 · Cited by 20,391 · see citing works
Lazarus, R. S. (1991) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780195069945.001.0001 · Cited by 12,691 · see citing works
Kessler, R. C., Chiu, W. T., Demler, O., & Walters, E. E. (2005) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.617 · Cited by 12,052 · see citing works
The assessment of anxiety states by rating
HAMILTON, M. (1959) · British Journal of Medical Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.2044-8341.1959.tb00467.x · Cited by 11,455 · see citing works
The social readjustment rating scale
Holmes, T. H., & Rahe, R. H. (1967) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/0022-3999(67)90010-4 · Cited by 11,174 · see citing works
Dynamics of a stressful encounter: Cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Dunkel‐Schetter, C., DeLongis, A., & Gruen, R. J. (1986) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.50.5.992 · Cited by 4,893 · see citing works
Dynamics of a stressful encounter: Cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Dunkel‐Schetter, C., et al. (1986) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.50.5.992 · Cited by 3,552 · see citing works
Exemplification of a Method for Scaling Life Events: The PERI Life Events Scale
Dohrenwend, B. S., Askenasy, A. R., Krasnoff, L., & Dohrenwend, B. P. (1978) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.2307/2136536 · Cited by 1,211 · see citing works
The association of coping to physical and psychological health outcomes: a meta-analytic review.
Penley, J. A., Tomaka, J., & Wiebe, J. S. (2002) · Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1023/a:1020641400589 · Cited by 1,019 · see citing works
Experiential avoidance as a functional dimensional approach to psychopathology: An empirical review
Chawla, N., & Ostafin, B. (2007) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.20400 · Cited by 805 · see citing works
Anxiety and Its Disorders: The Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic
Noyes, R. (1990) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.147.8.1083 · Cited by 681 · see citing works
de BEURS, E., BEEKMAN, A. T. F., van BALKOM, A. J. L. M., DEEG, D. J. H., van DYCK, R., & van TILBURG, W. (1999) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291799008351 · Cited by 378 · see citing works
Steptoe, A., O’Donnell, K., Badrick, E., Meena Kumari, B., & Marmot, M. G. (2007) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/aje/kwm252 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
Cognitive-behavioral treatment of late-life generalized anxiety disorder
Stanley, M. A., Beck, J. G., Novy, D. M., Averill, P. M., Swann, A. C., Diefenbach, G. J., & Hopko, D. R. (2003) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.71.2.309 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in older adults.
Wetherell, J. L., Gatz, M., & Craske, M. G. (2003) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.71.1.31 · Cited by 205 · see citing works
Self-citationQuality of life in geriatric generalized anxiety disorder: a preliminary investigation
Loebach Wetherell, J., Thorp, S. R., Patterson, T. L., Golshan, S., Jeste, D. V., & Gatz, M. (2004) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2003.09.003 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Self-citationMoos, R. H., Brennan, P. L., Schutte, K. K., & Moos, B. S. (2005) · The International Journal of Aging and Human Development · doi:10.2190/enlh-waa2-ax8j-wrt1 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Quality of Life and Anxiety Disorders: A Population Study
Cramer, V., Torgersen, S. O., & Kringlen, E. (2005) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/01.nmd.0000154836.22687.13 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Handbook of Exposure Therapies
Richard, D. C. S., & Lauterbach, D. (2007) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-587421-2.x5000-5 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Stressful life events among community-living older persons
Hardy, S. E., Concato, J., & Gill, T. M. (2002) · Journal of General Internal Medicine · doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2002.20105.x · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Psychological coping styles and cortisol over the day in healthy older adults
O’Donnell, K., Badrick, E., Meena Kumari, B., & Steptoe, A. (2008) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.01.015 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Psychiatric Status among the Homebound Elderly: An Epidemiologic Perspective
BRUCE, M. L., & McNamara, R. (1992) · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb02103.x · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Modular psychotherapy for anxiety in older primary care patients
Wetherell, J. L., Ayers, C. R., Sorrell, J. T., Thorp, S. R., Nuevo, R., Belding, W., Gray, E., Stanley, M. A., Areán, P. A., Donohue, M., et al. (2009) · The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/jgp.0b013e3181a31fb5 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Self-citationLong-term follow-up of generalized anxiety disorder
Mancuso, D. M., Townsend, M. H., & Mercante, D. E. (1993) · Comprehensive Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/0010-440x(93)90072-c · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Anxiety Disorders in Older Puerto Rican Primary Care Patients
Tolin, D. F., Robison, J. T., Gaztambide, S., & Blank, K. (2005) · American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00019442-200502000-00009 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Anxiety Disorders Among Older Primary Care Patients
Stanley, M. A., ROBERTS, R. E., Bourland, S. L., & Novy, D. M. (2001) · Journal of Clinical Geropsychology · doi:10.1023/a:1009533621832 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Schuurmans, J., Comijs, H., Emmelkamp, P. M. G., Weijnen, I. J. C., van den Hout, M., & van Dyck, R. (2009) · International Psychogeriatrics · doi:10.1017/s1041610209990536 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Sandín, B., Chorot, P., Germán, M. Á. S., & Valiente, R. M. (2004) · Anxiety Stress & Coping · doi:10.1080/10615800310001637134 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Correlates of Anxiety Symptoms in Physically Disabled Older Women
Brenes, G. A., Guralnik, J. M., Williamson, J. D., Fried, L. P., & Penninx, B. W. J. H. (2005) · American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00019442-200501000-00004 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Diefenbach, G. J., Stanley, M. A., Beck, J. G., Novy, D. M., Averill, P. M., & Swann, A. C. (2001) · Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment · doi:10.1023/a:1010967725849 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Inventorying stressing life events as related to health change in the elderly
Bieliauskas, L. A., Counte, M. A., & Glandon, G. L. (1995) · Stress Medicine · doi:10.1002/smi.2460110117 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Correlates of Anxiety Symptoms in Physically Disabled Older Women
Brenes, G. A. (2005) · American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajgp.13.1.15 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Predictive Validity of Two Prognostic Indices for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Durham, R. C., Chambers, J. A., Macdonald, R. R., & Fisher, P. (2009) · International Journal of Cognitive Therapy · doi:10.1521/ijct.2009.2.4.383 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy With Older Adults: Rationale and Considerations
Petkus, A. J., & Wetherell, J. L. (2013) · Cognitive and Behavioral Practice · doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.07.004 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
“Additionally, using avoidance as a coping strategy is also associatedwith increased depression (Andrew&Dulin, 2007) and persistent anxiety (Ayers et al., 2010).”
Self-citationLappalainen, P., Keinonen, K., Pakkala, I., Lappalainen, R., & Nikander, R. (2021) · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science · doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2021.04.005 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Behavioral correlates of anxiety in well-functioning older adults
Losada‐Baltar, A., Márquez‐González, M., Pachana, N. A., Wetherell, J. L., Fernández-Fernández, V., Nogales‐González, C., & Ruiz, M. Á. (2014) · International Psychogeriatrics · doi:10.1017/s1041610214001148 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Self-citationCoping Style, Insomnia, and Psychological Distress Among Persons With Gastrointestinal Cancer
Lv, G., Zhao, D., Li, G., Wang, Q., Zhou, M., Gao, Y., Zhao, X., & Li, P. (2022) · Nursing Research · doi:10.1097/nnr.0000000000000606 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Neurocognitive predictors of long-term outcome in CBT for late life generalized anxiety disorder
Mohlman, J. (2020) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102246 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Oti-Boadi, M., Andoh–Arthur, J., Abekah‐Carter, K., & Abukuri, D. N. (2024) · International Journal of Social Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/00207640241227128 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Probst, G., Vîslă, A., & Flückiger, C. (2022) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2022.102635 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Predictors and moderators of treatment outcome in late-life anxiety: A systematic review
Kyriacou, T., Hodges, J., & Gould, R. L. (2023) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.057 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
María, M.-G., Virginia, F.-F., Rosa, R.-M., & Andrés, L. (2013) · INFORMACIO PSICOLOGICA · doi:10.14635/ipsic.2014.105.3 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Ueberholz, R. Y., Hytman, L., Dang, C., & Fiocco, A. J. (2025) · Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement · doi:10.1017/s0714980825100159 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
김효영, & Lee, H.-J. (2017) · Korean Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.17315/kjhp.2017.22.1.006 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Runyan, A. M., Medvene, L. J., Coleman, C., & DiLollo, A. (2021) · Research in Gerontological Nursing · doi:10.3928/19404921-20210924-04 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Ueberholz, R. Y., Hytman, L., Dang, C., & Fiocco, A. J. (2024) · Preprints.org · doi:10.20944/preprints202408.0435.v1 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Anxiety disorders in older adulthood
Petkus, A., Merz, C., & Wetherell, J. L. (2014) · The Wiley Handbook of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1002/9781118775349.ch29 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Self-citationMorse, C. (2020) · Brock University Digital Repository (Brock University)
Lenze, A. J. P. E. J., & Wetherell, J. L. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/med/9780199796816.003.0009
Self-citationTosto, S. A. (2026) · Police Practice and Research · doi:10.1080/15614263.2026.2636677
A machine learning approach to profiling anxiety risk among cancer patients on treatment
Yan, K., Shah, M. K., Wang, H.-L., Elliott, A., Halbert, M., & Loerzel, V. W. (2026) · Supportive Care in Cancer · doi:10.1007/s00520-026-11008-y
- Authors
- Ayers, C. R., Petkus, A., Liu, L., Patterson, T. L., & Wetherell, J. L.
- Affiliations
- University of California San Diego (US)
- San Diego State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wetherell, Julie Loebach
- Venue
- Journal of Experimental Psychopathology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-01
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 2043-8087 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2030048329
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 1.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Experimental Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH067643, NIMH K23, MH067643)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- generalized anxiety disorder, older adults, negative life events, avoidance coping, long-term treatment outcomes, prognostic factors, cognitive behavioral therapy, community-based treatment, anxiety symptoms
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
