Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression Among Orthodox Jews

Integrating Religion and Spirituality into Psychiatric Outpatient Treatment in the United States

It is common for mental health clients to desire that religion and spirituality (RS) be integrated into their treatment. Despite this preference, clients' RS beliefs often go overlooked in therapy for a variety of reasons including lack of provider training on integration, fear of causing offense, or concerns about wrongly influencing clients. The present study assessed the effectiveness of using a psychospiritual therapeutic curriculum to integrate RS into psychiatric outpatient treatment for highly religious clients (n = 150) seeking services through a faith-based clinic. The curriculum was well accepted by both clinicians and clients, and a comparison of clinical assessments administered at intake and program exit (clients averaged 6.5 months in the program) showed significant improvement across a broad range of psychiatric symptoms. These results suggest the use of a religiously integrated curriculum within a broader psychiatric treatment program is beneficial and may be a way to overcome clinicians' RS concerns and shortcomings while meeting religious clients' desires for inclusion.

Effects of Perinatal Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Delivery Mode, Fetal Outcome, and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety in Women

Objective

To explore the effects of perinatal cognitive-behavioral therapy on delivery mode, fetal outcome, and postpartum depression and anxiety in women.

Methods

The clinical data of 88 perinatal pregnant women who came to our hospital from May 2020 to May 2021 were retrospectively analyzed and grouped into the routine group and the cognitive behavioral intervention group according to different perinatal nursing methods, with 44 cases in the cognitive behavioral intervention group received by cognitive behavioral therapy, and 44 cases in the routine group obtained by routine obstetric care during the perinatal period. The anxiety of pregnant women was evaluated by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). The positive cooperation and negative response of the perinatal pregnant women in two groups were recorded. The trial delivery rate, mode of delivery, amount of intrapartum bleeding, neonatal Apgar score, and visual pain simulation score (VAS) within 48 hours after delivery of the pregnant women in the two groups were also recorded and compared. The incidence of depression of pregnant and lying-in women in the two groups was recorded on the 5th and 42nd day after delivery.

Results

After the intervention, the anxiety score of pregnant women in the cognitive behavioral intervention group was significantly lower than that in the routine group (P < 0.05). Following the intervention, the positive cooperation score of pregnant women in the cognitive behavioral intervention group was prominently higher than that in the routine group, and the negative cooperation score was observably lower than that in the routine group (P < 0.05). The rate of spontaneous delivery in the cognitive behavioral intervention group was significantly higher than that in the conventional group (P < 0.05), while the VAS score and blood loss in the cognitive behavioral intervention group were notably lower than those in the routine group (P < 0.05). The proportion of women with EPDS score <9 points, i.e., no postpartum depression both on the 5th and 42nd day after delivery, were significantly higher than those in the routine group (P < 0.05), whereas the proportion of patients with postpartum depression symptoms scored 9-13 points were markedly lower than those of the routine group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The cognitive behavioral therapy can improve the adverse physiological and psychological reactions of pregnant women with perinatal anxiety disorder, enhance the natural delivery rate and postoperative recovery, reduce the risk of neonatal asphyxia, and ensure the safety of mothers and infants in the perinatal period. Compared with routine nursing, this intervention method is more targeted and scientific, and is worthy of clinical promotion.

The Effect of an Islamic-Based Intervention on Depression and Anxiety in Malaysia

Religiously integrated interventions for treating mental illnesses have proved effective. However, many studies have yet to adequately address the effects of Islamic religious-based rituals on mental health among Muslims. The present study investigated the impact of a purposefully designed Islamic religion-based intervention on reducing depression and anxiety disorders among Muslim patients using a randomised controlled trial design. A total of 62 Muslim patients (30 women and 32 men) were divided by gender into two groups, with each group assigned randomly to either treatment or control groups. The participants who received the Islamic-based intervention were compared to participants who received the control intervention. Taylor's (cite date) manifest anxiety scale and Steer and Beck's (cite the date) depression scale were used to examine the effects on depression and anxiety levels. ANCOVA results revealed that the Islamic intervention significantly reduced anxiety levels in women (d = 0.75) and depression levels in men (d = 0.80) compared to the typical care control groups.

Cultural adaptations of cognitive behaviour therapy for the Orthodox Jewish community: a qualitative study of therapists’ perspectives

Cultural factors are influential in the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment efficacy of mental health conditions. Although the literature has advanced substantially towards the development of cultural adaptations of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for various minority cultural groups, research into cultural adaptations of CBT for the Orthodox Jewish community has been scarce. This qualitative study interviewed five CBT therapists about their experiences working with clients from the London Orthodox Jewish community and uncovered several key practical implications for the clinical practice of CBT with this client group. This study indicates that CBT is a culturally appropriate psychological treatment for this client group that accords with Orthodox Jewish teachings and religious beliefs. CBT therapists are encouraged to become familiar with Orthodox Jewish cultural practices and beliefs and adopt a culturally sensitive approach to treatment. Despite the reduced mental health stigma within the community, this study recommends that CBT therapists normalise mental health conditions and therapy with Orthodox Jewish clients. Due to the close-knit nature of the community, it is suggested that CBT therapists display heightened confidentiality with this client group. To overcome the mistrust of their Orthodox Jewish clients, CBT therapists are advised to display cultural sensitivity and genuine respect for the Orthodox Jewish way of life, in addition to building a strong therapeutic alliance. Further qualitative research exploring different perspectives is necessary to produce evidence-based guidelines for the cultural adaptation of CBT for the Orthodox Jewish community.

Key learning aims

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