S. Neron et al., GROUP VS INDIVIDUAL COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR THERAPY IN PANIC DISORDER - ANOPEN CLINICAL-TRIAL WITH A 6 MONTH FOLLOW-UP, Canadian journal of behavioural science, 27(4), 1995, pp. 379-392
Panic with or without agoraphobia (PD/A) is an often incapacitating an
d chronic disorder. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been shown t
o be effective in reducing panic frequency and intensity in PD/A. Howe
ver, the effect of treatment modality (group vs individual) on the eff
icacy of CBT is unclear. Twenty patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria fo
r PD/A were treated, by the same therapist, with either group (CBTgr)
or individual (CBTi) CBT and followed monthly for six months post trea
tment. Both CBTgr and CBTi significantly (and to the same extent) redu
ced panic frequency at treatment end. However, a differential effect f
avouring CBTi over CBTgr was observed with regards symptoms other than
panic, such as generalized anxiety-like and depressive symptoms. This
, differential effect favouring CBTi was also observed at the end of t
he follow-up phase, where outcome was measured as the number of patien
ts maintaining remission.