Does Treating Anxiety Symptoms With ACT Improve Vascular Inflammation and Function?

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, intensive 1-day psychotherapy group intervention (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT), compared to a 12 week time control group on anxiety symptoms, vascular function, inflammation, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (mSNA), and oxidant stress. Similar measures will be performed at baseline in individuals with low or no anxiety for comparison. Individuals who are interested in the study will be identified by an online screening survey and will be contacted by the research team; advertisements, flyers and mass emails will direct individuals to the online screening survey. Those deemed eligible to participate will be randomized to the ACT intervention or a control group. Assessments of anxiety symptoms (via various surveys) and vascular function (via non-invasive, well-established techniques) will be performed at baseline and 12 weeks post-ACT group intervention session. In addition, reassessment of anxiety symptoms via aforementioned surveys will take place 6 weeks post-ACT group session. After 12 weeks, anxiety and vascular assessments will be repeated to re-evaluate severity of anxiety symptoms, vascular function, inflammation, and oxidant stress.