Three systematic reviews (Reviews 3, 6, and 11) concluded that older adults with anxiety or depressive disorders responded well to CBT, suggesting CBT is effective for treating anxiety and depression late in life. These findings support the applicability of CBT to a variety of populations and for specific developmental stages of life. Additional information on CBT for treating late life depression appears in CBT for Late-Life Depression Program Summary completed in 2008.
Overall, the effectiveness of CBT has been examined in patients with anxiety disorders more frequently than in patients with depressive disorders. Therefore, the efficacy of CBT in the treatment of anxiety disorders is more strongly supported than in the treatment of depressive disorders.