Treating ethnic minority adults with anxiety disorders: Current status and future recommendations

Abstract

The past three decades have witnessed an increase in the number of empirical investigations examining the phenomenology of anxiety and related conditions. There has also been an increase in efforts to understand differences that may exist between ethnic groups in the expression of the anxiety disorders. In addition, there is now substantial evidence that a variety of treatment approaches (most notably behavioral and cognitive behavioral) are efficacious in remediating anxiety. However, there continues to be comparatively few treatment outcome studies investigating the efficacy of anxiety treatments among minority populations. In this paper, we review the extant treatment outcome research for African American, Hispanic/Latino[a] American, Asian American, and Native Americans suffering with one of the anxiety disorders. We discuss some of the specific problems with the research in this area, and then provide specific recommendations for conducting treatment outcome research with minority populations in the future.

Phenomenology and treatment outcomes in children and adolescents from ethnic minorities with obsessive–compulsive disorder

“…Attention to detail in the planning, use of relevant incentives, and focused community outreach efforts appear to be helpful to engage ethnic minorities in research studies (Williams, Proetto, Casiano, & Franklin, 2012). In addition, cultural modifications to empirically supported treatments, such as ethnic matching with the therapist, use of a culturally sensitive therapist, use of culturally appropriate examples, or utilization of strategies rooted in the culture have been suggested as relevant strategies that may help improve help-seeking and compliance Q3 with treatment (Carter, Mitchel, & Sbrocco, 2012).…”

“…This raises the question whether evidence-based treatments are also effective for ethnic minorities with the disorder (Williams et al, 2010). To date, very few studies have looked at treatment outcomes in ethnic minorities, and these have mainly been focused on Black American populations (Carter, Mitchel, & Sbrocco, 2012). Hatch, Friedman, and Paradis (1996) and Williams, Chambliss, and Steketee (1998) presented case reports where exposure with response prevention (ERP) was found to be effective for African Americans suffering from OCD.…”

Testing Cognitive and Emotion-Focused Models of Worry in Black and White Samples

“…Similarly, research on treatment outcome studies with anxiety in African-Americans is scarce (Carter, Mitchell, & Sbrocco, 2012) and inconsistent. There is some evidence that African-Americans have poorer response to psychotherapy.…”

Consumer Information and Treatment Resources for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…45,51,52 Other reviews included calls for methodological homogeneity and addressed a lack of research on whether different treatments might be more or less effective depending upon etiology, comorbidities, or other patient characteristics. 23,31,32,44,[53][54][55][56] And though individualized treatment is an attractive goal, "To date, no published study has examined the potential for matching treatment protocol based on symptom profile." 24(p 613) The evidence base for PTSD treatment has been translated into seven sets of clinical practice guidelines by various institutional authors.…”