Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in achieving remission and reducing the rate of relapses in anxiety disorders
Jakub Miazgowski1, Marta Tuszkiewicz1, Tomasz Miazgowski2

Anxiety disorders are a heterogeneous group of mental disorders characterised by a significant and uncontrolled feeling of anxiety. According to the current guidelines, the first-line treatments for these disorders include cognitive behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy. The aim of the present study, prepared on the basis of the latest observational studies and systematic reviews with meta-analysis published in the years 2020–2021, was to assess the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with anxiety disorders in terms of improving symptoms and reducing the frequency of remissions and relapses. Methodological difficulties in establishing uniform diagnostic criteria for remission and relapse in anxiety disorders were also discussed. Conclusions: 1) The latest systematic reviews confirm the short-term effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in reducing the severity of symptoms in anxiety disorders, especially in post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder). 2) The results from meta-analyses indicate that the remission rate in anxiety disorders treated with cognitive behavioural therapy is 13–53% (the highest in post-traumatic stress disorder, and the lowest in obsessive-compulsive disorder), and the relapse rate is 4–24% (the highest in obsessive-compulsive disorder, the lowest in social phobias), depending on the type of anxiety disorder, time since treatment completion, residual symptoms, and criteria used to diagnose remission and relapse. 3) After the completion of cognitive behavioural therapy, supportive treatments in the form of periodic traditional sessions or videoconferences are suggested, while the role of other, unsynchronised forms of remote therapy (via the Internet, bibliotherapy or mobile applications) needs to be confirmed in further research.