Adjunctive Couple and Family Intervention for Patients With Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

Family-focused therapy for anxiety disorders (FFT-AD), a flexible couple/family treatment provided in conjunction with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders, is described. The treatment is based upon research showing that anxious patients are more likely to drop out of or fare poorly in CBT when they live with a family member who is hostile toward or emotionally over-involved with the patient, accommodates excessively to the patient's anxiety, or is perceived by the patient to be destructively critical. An adaptation of FFT for bipolar disorder, the treatment is intended for patients with anxiety disorders, regardless of their specific disorder type. FFT-AD is illustrated with two cases. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.