Effectiveness of Short-Term Remote Psychotherapy in Patients with Mixed Anxiety and Depressive Disorder

COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic@related restrictions led to rise of incidence of depressive and anxious disorders. Internet-delivered (remote) psychotherapy is a perspective and effective method of treatment depressive and anxious disorders in pandemic. Aim: assessment of the effectiveness of short-term remote psychotherapy interventions in mixed anxiety and depressive disorders, associated with COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. 27 patients with mixed anxiety and depressive disorders (F41.2) was investigated. All patients were treated with structured remote psychotherapy intervention. The primary endpoint was reduction of total score of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) from day 1 to day 30. The secondary endpoint was reduction of total score of State@Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) from day 1 to day 30. Results. Remote psychotherapy was more effective in reduction of depressive symptoms than anxiety, but changes in these two domains of symptoms were statistically significant. The most of patients demonstrated improvement from severe to moderate and mild states. Conclusion. Remote psychotherapy is effective in patients with mixed anxious and depressive disorder, but symptomatically remission was not reached for all patients.