Advances in research on anxiety symptoms over the past several decades have greatly enhanced the availability of evidence-based treatments across the globe. However, several questions remain unanswered about the treatment of anxiety. One area in particular that has been understudied is the relevance of spiritual/religious factors to anxiety symptoms. Recent research suggests that integration of spirituality into evidence-based psychotherapy can enhance treatment gains for some individuals. Other research suggests that patients who have strong spiritual/religious beliefs and practices may get more from standard (secular) treatment than others. These and other topics require rigorous examination within a responsible, emprical framework. To this end, The Center for Anxiety™ is currently engaging in the following studies.

Spiritually-Integrated Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Thanks to generous support from the TAG Institute, the Center for Anxiety™ is engaging in a study to design, implement, and assess the efficacy of a spiritually-integrated treatment for anxiety and stress (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). This study is now actively recruiting participants. For more information, please click here.

Spiritual/Religious Predictors of Psychiatric Symptoms & Treatment Outcomes. Ongoing research at the Center for Anxiety™ is examining the relevance of patient spirituality/religion to treatment outcomes. All patients receiving clinical services complete a battery of self-report measures to assess for spiritual and other areas of functioning, as well as symptoms and impairment both prior to and at the end of treatment.

Conventional vs. Religious Psychotherapy for Major Depression in Patients with Chronic Illness. The Center for Anxiety™ is currently providing research consultation for an off-site investigation at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC (Principal Investigator - Harold G. Koenig, MD). Funded by the John Templeton Foundation, this multi-site, randomized controlled trial of conventional vs. religious Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is examining biomarkers of immune system functioning alongside measures of depression over the course of treatment.

Treatment for Depressed and/or Anxious Rural Veterans in Home-Based Primary Care. The Center for Anxiety™ is providing research consultation for a pilot study at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, TX (Principal Investigators - Melinda A. Stanley, PhD & Maria E.A. Armento, PhD) regarding the effectiveness of a home-based, spiritually-integrated treatment program for depression and anxiety. Using a novel modular approach which presents patients with the option to utilize spiritual resources throughout their treatment, this project stands to increase access to care for rural Veterans by offerring culturally tailored treatment for common symptoms.