Table 1 Characteristics of the studies

Amor 2018 Spain

Include the point of view of a group of patients with GAD in the preparation of the recommendations of a clinical practice guideline.

Focus groups and content analysis. The testimonies of users were linked to recommendations based on the evidence, with both sources of information placed at the same level of relevance.

Patients with GAD (10).

Community mental health unit, Malaga-Center, University Regional Hospital of Malaga.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate, but the objectives are not clearly defined; the methodological objectives are mixed with the research objectives. The presentation of main findings could have been more detailed.

Berg 2010 Sweden

Understand how people experience body psychotherapy focused on affect for one year and to investigate whether treatment improves people’s ability to redefine their somatic symptoms in a broader psychosocial context.

Semi-structured interviews.

Patients with GAD (61).

Psychiatric service, intervention performed by physiotherapists.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. There are no ethical considerations or reflexive analyses.

Bosman 2016 Holland

Understand the motivations of people and GPs for the long-term use of antidepressants and possible ways to prevent unnecessary use.

Semi-structured interviews in depth and constant comparative analysis.

Patients with GAD and/or depression and > 6 months of antidepressant use (30). GPs (20)

PC network of the Amsterdam Medical Center of the University of VU and University Medical Center of Groningen.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. There are no ethical considerations or reflexive analyses.

Button 2019 Canada (Toronto)

Examine the experience of patient with GAD about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) or Motivational Interviewing (MI).

Semi-structured interviews.

Patient with GAD (10)

Different places in Toronto.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. Neither ethical considerations nor reflexive analyses are presented

Cook 2007 USA (Philadelphia)

Understand the factors that influence the chronic use of benzodiazepines in older adults.

Semi-structured interviews.

GPs (33)

PC.

The design and use of qualitative methodology seems to be adequate and to meet the minimum aspects of methodological quality. There are no ethical considerations or reflexive analyses.

Cramer 2014 United Kingdom

Examine the experiences and perceptions of men regarding the support they receive in groups and understand the role of professionals in access to these services.

Interviews and observations.

Patients with GAD or depression (17)*

Community services of the town hall.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. The presentation of the results obtained is also adequate. A section on ethical issues is included, but reflexivity is not assessed.

Dickinson 2010 United Kingdom

Explore the attitudes of older people and their general practitioners regarding the long-term use of antidepressant drugs and their experiences with the influences of the long-term use of these drugs.

Semi-structured interviews.

Patients with AD and depression aged ≥75 years (36) GPs (10)

PC.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. The findings are clearly stated. Neither ethical considerations nor reflexive analyses are presented.

CPG GAD elaboration group 2008 Spain

Collect as much information as possible about the experiences of people with the disease and their relationship with the health system.

Group discussion with patients and in-depth interviews with PC and specialist health professionals.

Patients with AD, GPs, psychiatrists and psychologists (not reported)

Health areas of the Community of Madrid.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate, but the objectives and analysis are not clearly defined. The findings are clearly stated. Neither ethical considerations nor reflexive analyses are presented.

Health Quality Ontario 2017 Canada (Ontario)

Explore the underlying values, needs, impacts and preferences of those who have experience with major depressive disorder and GAD and the psychological treatments for these disorders. The focus of treatment was CBT, interpersonal therapy and supportive therapy.

Semi-structured interviews.

Patients with GAD and/or depression (20)

Different places in Canada.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. Neither ethical considerations nor reflexive analyses are presented.

Hurtado 2020 Spain

Understand the experience and perceptions of people diagnosed with GAD, along their trajectory through health services and their role through the decision-making process for their treatment.

Focus group.

Patient with GAD (24)

Service of Mental Health of the Regional University Hospital of Malaga and in the Health Care Area Norte de Córdoba.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate. Neither ethical considerations nor reflexive analyses are presented.

Marcus 2011 Canada

Identify how people perceive the motivational interview process before CBT.

Semi-structured interviews.

Patients with GAD (8)

Private psychological service.

The design and use of qualitative methodology is adequate; no answers are given to the questions that were raised at the beginning of the study. It is not explicit if a coding strategy in pairs was used to minimize the bias of the researchers. Neither ethical considerations nor reflexive analyses are presented.

O’Brien 2017 Ireland

Describe the possible difficulties that a group of participants may have in the context of emotion-focused therapy.

Observations based on multiple case studies.

Patients with GAD (14)

PC psychology services.

The use of qualitative methodology is adequate, except in the design of the data collection. Therapeutic sessions are analysed, but there is no description of how they are carried out. A possible source of bias is that the analysis is conducted based on a theoretical framework previously constructed by one of the authors who trained the others in its application in the review of the data.