The present chapter reviews the evidence for current generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) treatments and their theories, and classifies them according to David and Montgomery’s new evaluative framework for evidence-based psychotherapies. This rubric classifies psychotherapies into nine categories, each associated with a different degree of empirical support. The therapies described in the present chapter fall into Categories I through IV.
Psychotherapies that have a well-supported treatment package and empirically supported theory are considered Category I; psychotherapies with a well-supported treatment package and preliminary theoretical support are classified as Category II; psychotherapies with preliminary research supporting the treatment package and strong theoretical backing fall under Category III; and psychotherapies with preliminary research on the treatment package and theory comprise Category IV. Categories V through IX include psychotherapies that have contradictory evidence in terms of their treatment protocol or theory. There are currently no available theories or protocols regarding the treatment of GAD that would be classified in Categories V through IX. The present chapter concludes with a discussion of future research directions and clinical implications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
