Effect of Behavioral Intervention on Comorbid General Anxiety Disorder and Parkinson's Disease

A multiple-baseline, across-behaviors experimental design was used to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent behavioral intervention for anxiety secondary to Parkinson's disease (PD). A 67-year-old man with an 18-year history of PD, a 13-year history of anxiety, and meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for general anxiety disorder (GAD) took part in the study. Dependent variables were the Clinical Anxiety Scale (CAS), Subjective Unit of Discomfort (SUD) ratings, and the Behavioral Relaxation Scale, a direct observation measure of relaxed behavior. Systematic increases in relaxed behavior with corresponding reductions in SUD ratings and CAS scores were obtained following Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT). Further decreases in SUD ratings occurred following BRT + Imagery and BRT + Coping. Generalization assessment of relaxed behavior in the home environment indicated 78% relaxed. Social validity ratings, obtained by a “blinded” rater during neuropsychological assessment, indicated the patient was as “calm as oth...