Treatment Planning to Support Adult Clients Experiencing Anticipatory Anxiety
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Authors
Woodard, Astrid
Issue Date
2022-07
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
anticipatory anxiety , anticipatory processing , uncertainty , anxiety , treatment
Alternative Title
Abstract
Anticipation anxiety (AA) is categorised as fear and uncertainty about an upcoming dreaded event. The author of this literature review evaluated key quantitative research findings from the last 10 years focused on adult populations that inform treatment interventions available for AA. Clients commonly seek treatment to decrease AA symptoms, reduce their fears and avoidance, cope with uncertainty, and gain the ability to engage in feared situations. Statistics Canada (2021) found that 15% of adult Canadians battle generalised anxiety disorder. Anxiety frequently presents in counselling, and maladaptive AA creates challenges for an even larger demographic because the vast contexts and factors impact its prevalence. The studies that the author accessed for this literature review reveal the AA predictors and critical factors that impact experience and maintain symptoms. Targeting these factors and treating them with evidence-based interventions will help clients to develop skills to reduce their distress. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has demonstrated the largest effect in reducing AA symptoms over other tested approaches; however, choosing appropriate treatment is not straightforward. The implication for clinical practice might be a more holistic appraisal considering the therapeutic alliance and treatment fit with clients' worldviews and therapeutic styles. The concept map (Figure 1) illustrates a path to evaluate and plan treatment that integrates these findings. Gaps in the understanding of clients' lived experiences require an increase in qualitative research designs. Researchers who conduct future quantitative studies must expand the focus of research on AA by testing a larger sample size and treatment efficacy from theoretical orientations other than cognitive behavioural.