Evaluation of Written Versus Mental "Worry-Time" to Treat Worry

This study randomly assigned self-professed worriers (N = 74) to a four-group within and between subjects repeated measures design utilizing the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the Worry Domains Questionnaire, and the Symptom Checklist-90 as dependent variables. Assessments were administered prior to the intervention, immediately after intervention, and at 2-weeks follow-up. Participants in the Written Worry Time group were instructed to write their worries for 15 min per day for 14 days, those in the Written Schedule group were instructed to write their schedule, those in the Mental Worry Time group were instructed to similarly think their worries, and the Control group served as an assessment only control. Counter to the hypotheses, all groups showed slight decreases in worry.