Comparison 5. Anxiety.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Anxiety	7		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) ‐ post intervention	2	154	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐4.70 [‐7.88, ‐1.52]
1.2 Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) ‐ post intervention	5	253	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.01 [‐1.94, ‐0.08]
1.3 Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) ‐ 1‐3 months after intervention	2	113	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.68 [‐2.04, 0.68]
1.4 Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) ‐ 4‐6 months after intervention	1	57	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.37 [‐2.43, 1.69]