Can digital CBT plus medication treat generalized anxiety disorder in a pilot trial?
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is often treated with medication, but many people still have symptoms. Digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a way to deliver therapy through a phone or computer. A pilot trial tested whether adding a digital CBT program called Aurora to regular medication could help adults with GAD. The results suggest it is safe and may improve anxiety, but larger studies are needed.
What the research says
A non-randomized pilot study in Mexico tested Aurora, a Spanish-language digital CBT program, in 34 adults with GAD who were already taking medication 28. One group used Aurora plus their usual medication (24 people), while the control group continued medication alone (10 people). After 12 weeks, the Aurora group showed greater reductions in anxiety symptoms measured by the GAD-7 and less pathological worry on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire compared to the control group 28. The study was small and not randomized, so results are preliminary. No serious safety issues were reported 28. Another study found that a text-message CBT program (CBT-txt) also reduced GAD symptoms in young adults, with a large effect size, suggesting digital CBT can be effective even without a full app 1. However, that study did not combine CBT with medication 1. Overall, the pilot trial supports the idea that adding digital CBT to medication may help, but more research is needed to confirm these findings.
What to ask your doctor
- Could digital CBT be a helpful addition to my current medication for anxiety?
- Are there any digital CBT programs that have been studied for GAD and are available in my language?
- How would I know if a digital therapy program is safe and effective?
- What should I look for in a digital mental health tool?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about this topic and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.