Prognostic indices with brief and standard CBT for panic disorder: I. Predictors of outcome

Michael G T Dow, Justin A Kenardy, Derek W Johnston, Michelle G Newman, C Barr Taylor, Aileen Thomson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background. Although the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in the management of panic disorder (PD) is now well established, there have been few studies of predictors of outcome with this patient group using clinical effectiveness trial data, a hypothesis-testing model, and a dependent measure of clinically significant change.

Method. The data for this study came from a randomized controlled trial of three forms of CBT delivery for PD with and without agoraphobia (two 6-week CBT programmes, one of which was computer assisted, and one therapist-directed 12-week CBT programme), comprising a total of 186 patients across two sites. Based on previous related research, five hypothesized predictors of post-treatment and follow-up outcome were identified and examined, using a series of bivariate and multivariate analyses.

Results. The results in general supported the hypotheses. Strength of blood/injury fears, age of initial onset of panic symptoms, co-morbid social anxieties and degree of agoraphobic avoidance were predictive of both measures of post-treatment outcome. Degree of residual social difficulties and the continued use of anxiolytics at post-treatment were also shown to predict poor outcome at the 6-month follow-up. However, strength of continuing dysfunctional agoraphobic cognitions by the end of active treatment did not predict outcome at follow-up for the sample as a whole.

Conclusions. The identification of consistent predictors of outcome with CBT has many clinical and research benefits. As CBT, however, is being delivered increasingly in a variety of brief formats, further research is required to identify moderators of response to these 'non-standard' treatment formats.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1493-1502
Number of pages10
JournalPsychological Medicine
Volume37
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Agoraphobia
  • Cognitive Therapy
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Panic Disorder
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prognosis
  • Therapy, Computer-Assisted
  • Treatment Outcome
  • GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER, COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR THERAPY, BODY SENSATIONS, FOLLOW-UP, AGORAPHOBIA, EXPOSURE, ATTACKS, PSYCHOTHERAPY, IMPROVEMENT, ALPRAZOLAM

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