The Minnesota Model: A Clinical Assessment of Its Effectiveness in Treating Anxiety and Depression Compared to Addiction
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The Minnesota Model: A Clinical Assessment of Its Effectiveness in Treating Anxiety and Depression Compared to Addiction Hollie Montague 1
& Ian Fairholm
1
# The Author(s) 2019
Abstract
The current study compared and assessed the effectiveness of the Minnesota model in reducing psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression among two groups: individuals with clinically diagnosed addiction only (n = 29) and individuals with clinically diagnosed anxiety/depression in the absence of addiction (n = 25). Anxiety and depression were measured using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, respectively. Two one-way analyses of covariance found no significant differences in post-intervention anxiety and depression scores when comparing the addiction group and the anxiety/depression group (F(1, 51) = 0.075, p = 0.786 and F(1, 51) = 0.302, p = 0.585, respectively). Reliable change index calculations also indicated that both the addiction group and the anxiety/depression group exhibited clinically significant reductions in anxiety and depression following treatment. These findings are considered in light of key methodological limitations, and the theoretical and therapeutic implications are discussed. Keywords Addiction . Anxiety . Depression . Minnesota model
Background Context Rates of anxiety disorder and major depression amongst individuals with addiction are approximately twice those of the non-addicted population (Hasin et al. 2005; Kushner et al. 2000). Subclinical levels of anxiety and depression are also strongly associated with addiction (Gilman and Abraham 2001). According to the self-medication hypothesis, this comorbidity occurs because many individuals with anxiety and/or depression attempt to manage distressing
* Hollie Montague [email protected]
1
Psychology Department, University of Bath, Bath, Somerset, UK
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
affective states with alcohol and/or other drugs (Suh et al. 2008). The self-medication hypothesis has been authenticated by prospective studies (Wolitzky-Taylor et al. 2012), suggesting that addiction treatments should seek to improve psychological wellbeing as a means of fostering abstinence (Terra et al. 2006). Accordingly, the effectiveness of the Minnesota model in nurturing sobriety has been attributed to its focus on enhancing emotional wellbeing (Gilbert et al. 2005). From this, it can be inferred that the Minnesota model would be an effective treatment for anxiety and depression in the absence of addiction, although existing literature has omitted to assess this possibility. Throughout this paper, addiction will be used as an umbrella term to refer to alcohol and substance misuse.
The Minnesota Model Twelve-step inpatient approaches are residential treatments rooted in the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, a mutual aid fellowship for individuals with alcoholism (Anderson et al. 1999). They take a holistic approach, advocating prolonged group affiliation, learning from others and cognitive
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