ERIC Number: EJ934334
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jun
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-006X
EISSN: N/A
Psychological Treatment for Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the Role of Therapist-Guided Exposure in situ in CBT
Gloster, Andrew T.; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Einsle, Franziska; Lang, Thomas; Helbig-Lang, Sylvia; Fydrich, Thomas; Fehm, Lydia; Hamm, Alfons O.; Richter, Jan; Alpers, George W.; Gerlach, Alexander L.; Strohle, Andreas; Kircher, Tilo; Deckert, Jurgen; Zwanzger, Peter; Hofler, Michael; Arolt, Volker
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, v79 n3 p406-420 Jun 2011
Objective: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a first-line treatment for panic disorder with agoraphobia (PD/AG). Nevertheless, an understanding of its mechanisms and particularly the role of therapist-guided exposure is lacking. This study was aimed to evaluate whether therapist-guided exposure in situ is associated with more pervasive and long-lasting effects than therapist-prescribed exposure in situ. Method: A multicenter randomized controlled trial, in which 369 PD/AG patients were treated and followed up for 6 months. Patients were randomized to 2 manual-based variants of CBT (T+/T-) or a wait-list control group (WL; n = 68) and were treated twice weekly for 12 sessions. CBT variants were identical in content, structure, and length, except for implementation of exposure in situ: In the T+ variant (n = 163), therapists planned and supervised exposure in situ exercises outside the therapy room; in the T− group (n = 138), therapists planned and discussed patients' in situ exposure exercises but did not accompany them. Primary outcome measures were (a) Hamilton Anxiety Scale, (b) Clinical Global Impression, (c) number of panic attacks, and (d) agoraphobic avoidance (Mobility Inventory). Results: For T+ and T- compared with WL, all outcome measures improved significantly with large effect sizes from baseline to post (range = -0.5 to -2.5) and from post to follow-up (range = -0.02 to -1.0). T+ improved more than T- on the Clinical Global Impression and Mobility Inventory at post and follow-up and had greater reduction in panic attacks during the follow-up period. Reduction in agoraphobic avoidance accelerated after exposure was introduced. A dose-response relation was found for Time x Frequency of Exposure and reduction in agoraphobic avoidance. Conclusions: Therapist-guided exposure is more effective for agoraphobic avoidance, overall functioning, and panic attacks in the follow-up period than is CBT without therapist-guided exposure. Therapist-guided exposure promotes additional therapeutic improvement--possibly mediated by increased physical engagement in feared situations--beyond the effects of a CBT treatment in which exposure is simply instructed. (Contains 3 footnotes, 2 tables, and 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Anxiety Disorders, Effect Size, Therapy, Cognitive Restructuring, Behavior Modification, Counseling Techniques, Counselor Role, Counseling Effectiveness, Comparative Analysis, Foreign Countries, Intervention, Questionnaires, Outcomes of Treatment
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A