Effectiveness of Internet-Based Group Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (GCBT) for Anxiety and Depression Among International Students Studying in Malaysia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale

时间窗: Baseline, post-intervention at 1 month, and follow-up at one month post-intervention.

The GAD-7 is a 7-item self-report measure used to assess the frequency and severity of anxiety symptoms in clients 11 and older. Aligned with the DSM-V-TR criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) the results of this measure can support accurate diagnoses, establishment of treatment goals based on symptom severity, and guide effective clinical interventions. Scores of 5, 10, and 15 are taken as the cut-off points for mild, moderate and severe anxiety, respectively. When used as a screening tool, further evaluation is recommended when the score is 10 or greater. Using the threshold score of 10, the GAD-7 has a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 82% for GAD. It is moderately good at screening three other common anxiety disorders - panic disorder (sensitivity 74%, specificity 81%), social anxiety disorder (sensitivity 72%, specificity 80%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (sensitivity 66%, specificity 81%).

Patient Health Questionnaire

时间窗: Baseline, post-intervention at 1 month, and follow-up at one month post-intervention.

The PHQ-9 is a widely recognized self-report questionnaire used to screen for depression severity. It's a simple yet powerful tool, comprising nine questions that mirror the nine diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder from the DSM-IV. Understanding how to score phq 9 is the first step in interpreting your results. A score of ≥10 is considered a sensitive and specific cut-off for major depressive disorder. Whereas, a score ≥15 strongly indicates the presence of clinically significant depression.

Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire

时间窗: Baseline, post-intervention at 1 month, and follow-up at one month post-intervention.

The ATQ is a psychological assessment tool designed to measure the frequency of negative automatic thoughts, particularly in individuals with depression. ATQ consists of 30 items, each describing a common negative automatic thought relevant to depression, such as "I am a failure" or "I can't cope." Respondents rate how frequently they have experienced each thought over a specified period, typically the past week, using a structured Likert scale. This systematic approach transforms fleeting internal experiences into quantifiable data points.