Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)NCT07798063
Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Emerging Adults
A study testing Solution-Focused Therapy in people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), run by International Islamic University, Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
This study will evaluate whether Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) helps reduce symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in emerging adults in Pakistan. Participants will first be screened to identify those with mild to moderate levels of GAD. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 29 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- What is being tested?
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 5 Jan 2026to 28 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 29 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Inclusion Criteria: Participants with mild to moderate scores of generalized anxiety disorder upon baseline assessment will be included in the study.
Exclusion Criteria: Individuals will be excluded if they reported a diagnosis of psychotic disorder, and those receiving psychotherapy or counseling for anxiety.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI)
Islamabad, 44000
Dr Nazia Iqbal, Post-doc, +92-51-9019338, nazia.iqbal@iiu.edu.pk
About this study
This study will evaluate whether Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) helps reduce symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in emerging adults in Pakistan. Participants will first be screened to identify those with mild to moderate levels of GAD. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive either SFT or be placed on a waitlist. The researcher will measure changes in anxiety symptoms before and after the intervention to determine whether SFT is effective for emerging adults with GAD in Pakistan.
Read the detailed description
Anxiety disorders are common worldwide, and anxiety and stress symptoms are particularly prevalent among university students in Pakistan. Emerging adulthood is a critical developmental period characterized by significant transitions, identity exploration, and heightened stress, during which Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can emerge. GAD is characterized by excessive and persistent anxiety and worry related to different areas of life, including work, family, health, or finances. Although conventional psychological therapies are available for such mental health problems, they can be time-consuming and costly. Therefore, shorter and effective psychological interventions are needed. Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) has been supported by research as an approach in which fewer sessions may be sufficient for improving psychological symptoms. However, there is limited literature on the effectiveness of SFT for emerging adults with anxiety disorders in Pakistan, and the intervention has not been culturally validated for Pakistani emerging adults with GAD.
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in emerging adults in Pakistan. The study will use a randomized controlled trial design. Emerging adults aged 18-29 years will first be screened using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale to identify participants with mild to moderate levels of GAD. Eligible participants will then be randomly assigned to a treatment group receiving SFT or a waitlist control group. The SFT intervention will be applied to participants with GAD to examine its effectiveness in reducing their anxiety symptoms.
The study will assess changes in GAD symptoms before and after the intervention to determine the effectiveness of SFT among emerging adults with GAD in Pakistan. It is expected that participants receiving SFT will show a decline in GAD symptoms compared with the waitlist control group. The study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a brief and culturally relevant SFT intervention for emerging adults with GAD in the Pakistani context.
- Conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Being tested
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Medical subject headings
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Solution-Focused TherapyBehavioural
Participants in intervention group will receive Solution-Focused Therapy. The program includes approximately 6-8 individual sessions (45-60 minutes) covering goal-setting, exception-finding, scaling questions, the miracle question, identification of existing strengths and resources, and construction of solution-focused action steps.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group (Receiving Solution-Focused Therapy) | Experimental | Participants in the intervention group will receive Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) for mild to moderate Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Receives: Behavioral: Solution-Focused Therapy |
| Control Group (Waitlist Control Group) | No intervention | Participants in the control group will not receive Solution-Focused Brief Therapy during the active trial period and will instead be assigned to a waitlist condition. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7)
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale assesses severity of anxiety symptoms. Total scores range from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms.
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Depression Anxiety Stress Scales - Short Form (DASS-21)
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales - Short Form (DASS-21) measures emotional distress. The total score ranges from 0 to 63 (combining depression, anxiety, and stress subscales). Higher scores indicate more severe emotional distress.
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Secondary outcomes (4)
Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - Short Form (IUS-12)
The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - Short Form assesses reactions to ambiguous situations. Total scores range from 12 to 60. Higher scores indicate a greater intolerance of uncertainty.
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire (NPOQ)
The Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire (NPOQ) evaluates dysfunctional cognitive attitudes toward problem-solving. Total scores range from 12 to 60. Higher scores indicate a more negative problem orientation.
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form (DERS-SF)
The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form (DERS-SF) assesses emotion dysregulation. Total scores range from 18 to 90. Higher scores indicate greater difficulty in regulating emotions.
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Brief Resilience Scale
The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) measures the ability to recover from stress. Total scores range from 6 to 30. Higher scores indicate greater resilience (a better outcome).
Measured: Baseline and Week 8
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Sep 2026
- Study start5 Jan 2026
- Primary completion15 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion28 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- International Islamic University, Islamabad
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fariha Hayat, International Islamic University, Islamabad
- Investigators
- Fariha Hayat, MS, Principal investigator, International Islamic University, Islamabad
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07798063
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IIUI/ORIC/Bioethics/110-1928
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No