Effects of Morita therapy for anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective

Morita therapy is a Japanese psychotherapy that is founded on acceptance-based principles and has been used to treat anxiety disorders. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of Morita therapy, used either as monotherapy or in combination with standard treatments, in adults with anxiety disorders.

Methods

We comprehensively searched 13 electronic databases on May 29, 2025 to identify randomized controlled trials involving adults diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, or panic disorder.

Results

Fourteen trials involving 824 participants were included in the systematic review, of which 13 trials involving 746 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to pharmacotherapy alone, Morita therapy plus pharmacotherapy significantly improved anxiety symptoms (SMD: −0.73, 95% CI: −1.43 to −0.02). Similarly, Morita therapy plus treatment as usual outperformed treatment as usual alone in reducing anxiety (SMD: −2.28, 95% CI: −3.88 to −0.67).

Conclusion

Morita therapy may be an effective treatment option for anxiety disorders, either when combined with other interventions or used as a standalone treatment. However, as the certainty of evidence was assessed as low according to the GRADE approach, further high-quality, rigorously designed trials across diverse populations are required to confirm these findings.

Keywords

anxiety disorders behavioral therapy Morita therapy psychotherapy systematic review

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