One-day acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) workshop improves anxiety but not vascular function or inflammation in adults with moderate to high anxiety levels in a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral intervention demonstrating sustained improvements in anxiety in individuals with chronic anxiety and psychological distress. Because anxiety disorders are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), we hypothesized that a novel 1-day ACT workshop would both lower anxiety and improve vascular function in persons with moderate/high anxiety.

Methods

In a randomized controlled study, 72 adults (age 33.9 ± 8.6 (SD) years) with baseline moderate/high anxiety completed a one-day ACT intervention (n = 44, age 33.9 ± 8.7 years) or control (n = 28, age 37.1 ± 10.1 years). Pre-specified secondary outcomes were measured over 12 weeks: aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [cfPWV]), for

SUBMITTER: Fiedorowicz JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10044446 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature