How we review, cite, and update

AnxietyResearch.org publishes research summaries and synthesis. It doesn't conduct original human-subjects research and isn't an IRB-registered research entity. The site doesn't publish dosing protocols, titration schedules, individualized clinical recommendations, sponsored content, advertorials, or affiliate-driven recommendations. It doesn't republish patient case material.

Sources are selected based on independence, recency, and traceability. We prefer the highest level of synthesized evidence available for a given question.

1. Peer-reviewed systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (e.g., Cochrane Library, major psychiatric journals)
2. Clinical practice guidelines. (e.g., APA, NICE, VA/DoD)
3. U.S. government public-health data. (e.g., NIMH, CDC, SAMHSA, HRSA, AHRQ)
4. Large epidemiologic studies. (e.g., NCS-R analyses)
5. Individual peer-reviewed trials. (Used when synthesis is unavailable or to highlight new directions, clearly labeled as individual findings.)
6. Other peer-reviewed publications.

Each evidence summary on this site carries a strength label at the top of the page. The label is the editorial team's judgment about how settled the underlying research is for the specific question that summary asks. It is not a clinical recommendation and it is not a substitute for reading the full summary, the "what the evidence doesn't prove" section, or the cited sources.

The label considers the volume and quality of trials, the size and consistency of the effect across comparators, alignment with clinical guidelines, and whether confounding or generalizability concerns substantially limit interpretation. A "strong evidence" label for a population-level finding doesn't predict how an individual patient will respond, and it doesn't replace the judgment of a treating clinician.

Every page undergoes editorial review by a board-certified psychiatrist for clinical accuracy before publication. The review ensures the text accurately reflects the cited source and adheres to the site's rule against providing individualized medical advice.

Mental health data and guidelines evolve. Every page displays a "Last updated" date. We review core sources (NIMH, CDC, APA) at least quarterly to incorporate new dataset releases or guideline updates.

The medical editor of AnxietyResearch.org is the founder of shrinkMD, an independent multistate telepsychiatry practice. This relationship is disclosed sitewide. The site accepts no advertising, sponsorships, or paid placements from any entity.

AnxietyResearch.org is published by shrinkMD Publishing, LLC. It is editorially independent of any clinical practice, including shrinkMD. Clinical care decisions at the practice level don't dictate the synthesis of evidence published here.

Corrections are posted at the bottom of the affected page with the date of update and a brief description. Substantive errors regarding data or study interpretation are flagged clearly. Readers can report errors to [email protected], with an expected response within five business days.

A reader who disagrees with how a study is summarized, how a source is characterized, or how a correction was handled can appeal in writing to [email protected]. The medical editor reviews appeals and replies within ten business days. The site logs the outcome on the corrections page when an appeal results in a substantive change.

Every chart and statistic displays its source name, URL, date accessed, and a brief methodology note (e.g., clarifying whether a survey tracks self-reported symptoms or clinical diagnoses). We don't combine datasets with differing methodologies into single comparative charts.