"EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE  A.M. ET WEDNESDAY AUGUST   Media Advisory To contact corresponding author Gretchen A. Brenes Ph.D. call Marguerite Beck at  or email marbeckwakehealth.edu mailtomarbeckwakehealth.edu. To contact editorial author Eric J. Lenze M.D. call Jim Dryden at  or email jdrydenwustl.edu httpsurldefense.proofpoint.comvurluhttpA__jdrydenwustl.edudAwMFAwciqeSLYkBTKTEVnJYtdW_ArBYftnkcdGa_AlxWHPoIXkjuvdhztfdKjplkyiapsmlqcxYpNmlBdVMPRuyGnEsdbsIAxnTGFUsNquRZWHIxElkZvBikYOuTuYXuYcYbajnAte.   To place an electronic embedded link to this study in your story Links will be live at the embargo time httparchpsyc.jamanetwork.comarticle.aspxdoi.jamapsychiatry.. and httparchpsyc.jamanetwork.comarticle.aspxdoi.jamapsychiatry..   JAMA Psychiatry   Telephonebased cognitive behavioral therapy was better at reducing worry generalized anxiety disorder symptoms and depressive symptoms in older adults who live in rural areas where access to mental health treatment may be limited according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.   Generalized anxiety disorder GAD is one of the most common anxiety disorders in older adults and is associated with poor quality of life increased health care utilization and impaired memory. Medications and psychotherapy are the primary treatments. Many older adults prefer psychotherapy to medication for the treatment of anxiety. However older adults who live in rural areas can face a number of barriers including living in an area where psychotherapy is not available so alternate methods of providing treatment could increase utilization according to the study background.   Gretchen A. Brenes Ph.D. of the Wake Forest School of Medicine WinstonSalem N.C. and coauthors compared telephonedelivered cognitive behavioral therapy CBT with telephonedelivered nondirective supportive therapy NST in a randomized clinical trial of  adults  or older with generalized anxiety disorder. The participants  were assigned to telephone CBT and  to telephone NST were followed up at two months and four months.   Telephone CBT consisted of up to  sessions nine required and focused on among other things anxiety symptom recognition cognitive restructuring relaxation coping statements and problem solving. Telephone NST was  sessions where participants discussed their feelings but no direct suggestions for coping were provided.   The clinical trial demonstrated both treatments reduced symptoms of worry depression and GAD but telephone CBT was superior to telephone NST and resulted in a greater reduction of symptoms.   At four months followup there was greater decline in worry severity among telephone CBT participants but no significant differences in general anxiety symptoms. At four months followup there also was greater decline in selfreported GAD symptoms and depressive symptoms among participants in the telephone CBT according to the results.   Telephonedelivered psychotherapy is one way to overcome some barriers to mental health treatment that rural older adults face the study concludes. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online August  . doi.jamapsychiatry... Available preembargo to the media at httpmedia.jamanetwork.com.   Editors Note This work was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. Please see the article for additional information including other authors author contributions and affiliations financial disclosures funding and support etc.   Editorial Solving the Geriatric Mental Health Crisis in the st Century   In a related editorial Eric J. Lenze M.D. of the Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis writes Therefore we are in the midst of the following two unprecedented trends the aging of the population and the transformation of everything in our lives by mobile technology. These two trends are inextricably linked in the area of geriatric mental health and our search for better more effective treatments with greater reach. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online August  . doi.jamapsychiatry... Available preembargo to the media at httpmedia.jamanetwork.com.   Editors Note The author made conflict of interest disclosure. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and funding from the Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research. Please see the article for additional information including other authors author contributions and affiliations financial disclosures funding and support etc."