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Evidence summaries

Psychological Treatment for Anxiety in People with Traumatic Brain Injury

Cognitive behavioural therapy as such may be effective for acute stress disorder following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and combined to neurorehabilitation for targeting general anxiety symptoms in people with mild to moderate TBI. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 2 studies with a total of 44 subjects. The first trial (n = 24) showed a benefit of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in people with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and acute stress disorder. Fewer people receiving CBT had diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at post-treatment compared to the control supportive counselling group, with maintenance of treatment gains found at six-month follow up. The second trial (n = 20) showed that post-treatment anxiety symptomatology of people with mild to moderate TBI was lower in the combined CBT and neurorehabilitation group compared to the no intervention control group.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (few patients) and by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes).

    References

    • Soo C, Tate R. Psychological treatment for anxiety in people with traumatic brain injury. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007 Jul 18;(3):CD005239. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords