Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29754811›Full record

Trial reportThe American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry2018

Integrated Exposure Therapy and Exercise Reduces Fear of Falling and Avoidance in Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study.

Julie Loebach Wetherell, Emily S Bower, Kristen Johnson, Douglas G Chang, Samuel R Ward, Andrew J Petkus

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Video-Delivered Relaxation Intervention Reduces Late-Life Anxiety: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2019
    Trial
  7. Review
  8. Article
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  13. Suicidal Ideation After Hip Fracture in Older Adults.Psychogeriatrics : the official journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society · 2025
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Julie Loebach WetherellPsychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA; Department of Psychiatry and Orthopedic Surgery, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA. Electronic address: jwetherell@ucsd.edu.
Emily S BowerSDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA.
Kristen JohnsonDepartment of Physical Therapy Program, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, St Augustine, FL.
Douglas G ChangDepartment of Psychiatry and Orthopedic Surgery, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA.
Samuel R WardDepartment of Psychiatry and Orthopedic Surgery, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA.
Andrew J PetkusDepartment of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

Funding

Exposure Therapy for Fear of Falling in Older AdultsR34MH086668 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI WETHERELL, JULIE L · 2010 to 2012
$691k
NIMH NIH HHS R34 MH086668
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo evaluate the safety and acceptability of a novel 8-week intervention integrating exercise, exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and a home safety evaluation, conducted by a physical therapist, in reducing fear of falling and activity avoidance. To collect preliminary evidence of efficacy.

designRandomized pilot study comparing the intervention to time- and attention-equivalent fall prevention education.

settingParticipants' homes.

participants42 older adults with disproportionate fear of falling (high fear, low to moderate objective fall risk). MEASUREMENTS: Falls Efficacy Scale-International, modified Activity Card Sort, satisfaction, falls.

resultsRelative to education, the intervention reduced fear of falling (d = 1.23) and activity avoidance (d = 1.02) at 8 weeks, but effects eroded over a 6-month follow-up period. The intervention did not increase falls, and participants rated the exercise, exposure therapy, and non-specific elements as most helpful.

conclusionsAn integration of exercise and exposure therapy may help older adults with disproportionate fear of falling, but modifications to the intervention or its duration may be needed to maintain participants' gains.

Indexed as

Avoidance LearningCognitive Behavioral TherapyExercise TherapyImplosive TherapyAccidental FallsAgedAged, 80 and overCombined Modality TherapyFearFemaleHumansIndependent LivingMalePatient SatisfactionPilot ProjectsTreatment Adherence and Complianceactivity avoidanceAnxietyexerciseexposure therapyfear of fallingphysical therapy

Identifiers

PMID29754811
PMCPMC6086757

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.