Transdiagnostic metacognitive therapy versus disorder-specific cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult anxiety
Official title: Transdiagnostic Metacognitive Therapy Compared to Disorder-Specific Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Superiority Trial
Run by Karolinska Institutet · NCT06937892 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This tests whether transdiagnostic metacognitive therapy works better than disorder-specific cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or PTSD.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 86 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Karolinska Institutet Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Stockholm) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 27, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 2028 |
| Study ends | December 2028 |
| Registry record updated | March 27, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06937892 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (18+) with a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or PTSD who can read and speak Swedish and have had stable medication doses for at least six weeks are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
People with current psychosis, bipolar disorder, moderate to severe substance use disorder, acute suicidal risk, those already receiving psychotherapy, or those unable to attend sessions in Stockholm or speak Swedish are unlikely to benefit from participating.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional trial compares two psychological treatments—transdiagnostic metacognitive therapy (MCT) and disorder-specific cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)—for adults whose primary diagnosis is GAD, SAD, or PTSD. Participants must be 18 or older, able to read and speak Swedish, and on a stable psychiatric medication dose for at least six weeks to enroll. Key exclusions include current psychotic or bipolar disorder, moderate to severe substance use disorder, acute suicide risk, or receiving simultaneous psychological treatment. Treatments are delivered at Stockholm North Psychiatry Clinic by clinicians affiliated with Karolinska Institutet and Region Stockholm.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, MCT could offer a single treatment approach that improves remission rates and reduces dropout compared with disorder-specific CBT for common anxiety disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Meta-analyses and individual trials have suggested MCT can outperform CBT for some anxiety conditions, but direct transdiagnostic comparisons across GAD, SAD, and PTSD are less well established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years of age or older * A principal (most interfering and/or severe) diagnosis of GAD, SAD or PTSD * If on pharmacological treatment, no change in dose during the last six weeks * Ability to read and speak Swedish Exclusion Criteria: * A current diagnosis of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, neurocognitive disorder, or moderate to severe substance use disorder * Acute risk of suicide * Simultaneous psychological treatment
Where it's running
-
Stockholm North Psychiatry Clinic
Stockholm, Sweden Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Benjamin Bohman, PhD
- Email: benjamin.bohman@ki.se
- Phone: +46 70 171 34 43
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.