Development and Validation of a Therapeutic Protocol Based on Fundamental Traps for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Keywords:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Fundamental Traps, Negative Self-Perception, Perceived Self-Incompetence, Schema Therapy, Protocol Validation, Thematic AnalysisAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate a therapeutic protocol based on fundamental traps for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.
Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The study population comprised specialists in clinical psychology, schema therapy, cognitive psychotherapy, health psychology, and psychometrics. Sixteen experts were selected through purposive sampling and participated in semi-structured interviews. The interview data were analyzed according to Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis approach. Based on the extracted themes and the relevant theoretical foundations, a ten-session therapeutic protocol centered on fundamental traps was developed. The content validity of the protocol was subsequently assessed by a panel of experts using the Content Validity Ratio and Content Validity Index. The relevance and simplicity of the protocol components were also evaluated.
Findings: Thematic analysis identified five overarching themes: multidimensional conceptualization of generalized anxiety disorder, developmental and predisposing factors, the role of fundamental traps and maladaptive modes in the persistence of anxiety, effective therapeutic strategies, and requirements for designing and implementing the therapeutic protocol. These findings informed the development of a structured ten-session intervention. The validation results indicated that the Content Validity Ratio of all sessions exceeded the critical threshold, with an overall mean CVR of 0.84. Moreover, the mean Content Validity Index values for relevance and simplicity were 0.97 and 0.93, respectively, demonstrating satisfactory agreement among experts regarding the appropriateness, clarity, and applicability of the protocol.
Conclusion: Fundamental traps appear to provide a theoretically coherent and clinically relevant framework for conceptualizing the underlying cognitive and emotional vulnerabilities associated with generalized anxiety disorder. The developed protocol demonstrated satisfactory content validity and may serve as a preliminary framework for clinical interventions targeting deeply rooted maladaptive patterns in affected individuals. Nevertheless, its therapeutic efficacy should be examined in future experimental and randomized controlled studies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Seyed Mahdi Tabatabaeifar (Author); Marzieh Gholami Tooranposhti; Mahdi Khasmohammadi (Author)
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