An uncontrolled pre-post study evaluated the feasibility and outcomes of group-based Metacognitive Therapy (gMCT) delivered as part of routine care at a single student welfare clinic in Oslo. The population consisted of students with a Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) score of 10 or higher, or a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, or Panic Disorder). The study did not report the sample size or include a comparator group.
The intervention, gMCT, was delivered by trained therapists. From pre- to post-assessment, significant reductions with large effect sizes were reported for anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), worry (CAS-1), negative metacognitive beliefs (MCQ-30), and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9). Absolute numbers, p-values, and confidence intervals were not reported. At a 3-month booster follow-up, 77.3% of participants were classified as improved or recovered.
Safety and tolerability data, including adverse events and discontinuations, were not reported. Key limitations include the uncontrolled pre-post design, a single-site setting, a small number of patients, and a short follow-up period. The study's funding and conflicts of interest were not reported.
Given the design, the findings show an association but cannot establish that gMCT caused the improvements. The results suggest gMCT may be a feasible intervention in student mental health clinics, but they should be interpreted cautiously and cannot be generalized beyond similar settings or compared to other treatments without controlled research.
Researchers tested whether group metacognitive therapy could help students with anxiety. The therapy focuses on changing unhelpful thinking patterns about worry itself. The study involved students at a university clinic in Oslo who had anxiety disorders or high anxiety scores. They received the group therapy as part of routine care.
After treatment, students reported large reductions in their anxiety, worry, and depressive symptoms. Their negative beliefs about worrying also decreased. About 77% of participants showed improvement or recovery. These benefits were still present when checked three months later.
No safety issues were reported, but the study did not specifically track side effects. The main reason for caution is the study's design. It was small, took place at only one clinic, and had no comparison group to show if the therapy itself caused the improvements or if other factors were involved.
This research suggests this type of group therapy might be helpful for students in similar settings. However, because it's an early study with limitations, the results should be seen as promising but not yet definitive. More research with stronger designs is needed to confirm the findings.
What this means for you: Early study finds group therapy promising for student anxiety, but more research is needed to confirm the results.
View Original Abstract ↓
BackgroundGroup-based Metacognitive Therapy (gMCT) has shown promising results for anxiety, but research specifically targeting student populations is limited. By addressing maladaptive metacognitions, gMCT aims to reduce core symptoms such as anxiety, excessive worry, and rumination. More research is needed in university settings to determine whether gMCT can be successfully applied to students. Method: We investigated the feasibility and examined a gMCT treatment course with an uncontrolled pre-post design with a 3-month booster follow-up. The design reflects the available data material and the limitations of the real-world clinic setting. Participants were students with a score >=10 on GAD-7 assessment, or diagnosed with anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), and Panic Disorder (PD). Patients presenting with additional conditions that would necessitate alternative interventions/treatment were excluded and not eligible for this study. The generic MCT treatment model was delivered as part of routine care by therapists at the Oslo Student Welfare Organization (SiO Helse) who had relevant MCT training. Data material was collected at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and booster follow-ups. Feasibility was assessed using attendance, dropout, and number of completers. Missing data were handled using multilevel modelling and mean imputation at the item level. The primary outcome was GAD-7, and depressive symptoms (secondary outcome) with the PHQ-9. Worry and Metacognitive beliefs were assessed. Analyses included paired sample t-tests, clinically significant change analysis, and multilevel modelling (MLM) to evaluate change over time.ResultsTreatment adherence was high, with participants attending an average of 7.1 out of 8 sessions. Significant reductions were observed across all measures from pre- to post-assessment, with large effect sizes for the primary outcome (GAD-7) and for worry (CAS-1), negative metacognitions (MCQ-30), and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9). These improvements were maintained at the 3-month booster follow-up.ConclusiongMCT is feasible for treating student populations with anxiety and depression symptoms. Overall, 77.3% of participants improved or recovered after post-assessment. The results should be cautiously interpreted due to the single-site setting, few patients and short follow-up period, but suggest that other student welfare organizations may benefit from implementing gMCT to treat anxiety- and worry-related problems in student populations.
