Clinical Psychology and Personality

Clinical Psychology and Personality

Feasibility of Norton Transdiagnostic Group Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in Iranian Samples: The Viewpoint of Experts, Therapist, and Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fatemeh Akhavan-Abiri 1
mohammad reza shairi 2
Hojjatollah Farahani 3
arsia Taghva 4
1 Ph.D. Graduate of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
4 Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Military Psychiatry 505 Hospital, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.22070/cpap.2026.20984.1801
Abstract
Introduction: Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders for which protocols have been developed and applied in accordance with theoretical perspectives focused on these disorders. Since the first step in implementing new interventions in a context is based on judging their feasibility, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of Norton's transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral group therapy for anxiety disorders in Iranian samples.
Method: The present study was conducted in the first step following a Delphi design and the second step within a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, follow-up phases, and waiting list. In this way, 9 experts completed a feasibility questionnaire before starting the group therapy by reading the detailed protocol summary. In addition, the protocol therapist evaluated the protocol in terms of feasibility criteria at the end of each session, and every 8 patients in the group therapy group also presented their views on the feasibility criteria of this protocol at the end of the treatment.
Results: The protocol's feasibility was generally deemed appropriate by examining all feasibility categories from the viewpoints of experts, the protocol therapist, and patients participating in the treatment process. All components were obtained “relative” from the perspective of experts, therapist, and patients, considering the Content Validity Index (CVI) for the dimensions and components of feasibility.
Discussion and conclusion: Norton transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral group therapy for anxiety disorders seems feasible in Iranian samples from the perspective of experts in Iranian society, the therapist providing this protocol, and the patients undergoing the treatment period. This finding paves the way for further investigations to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of this treatment program within the framework of large-scale trials.
Keywords
Anxiety Disorders
Feasibility
Norton
Cognitive Behavior Group Therapy
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