EXPOSURE VERSUS COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING IN THE TREATMENT OF PANIC DISORDER WITH AGORAPHOBIA

The aim of this study was to assess the rate of change on clinical, be havioral and cognitive variables during exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. A total of 28 Ss who received a diagnosis of panic disorder with agoraph obia were randomly assigned to either of two treatment conditions: exp osure therapy or cognitive restructuring. Treatment conditions were ke pt as distinct as possible from each other. Subjects were assessed on five occasions: pretreatment, after 5, 10, and 15 (posttreatment) sess ions of treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. Analyses of outcome data revealed strong and significant time effects on all measures. However , no group x time interaction reached statistical significance, sugges ting that both strategies operate at the same pace. Furthermore, power analyses suggest that any di;Terence that might exist in the rate of improvement between exposure and cognitive restructuring in the treatm ent of panic disorder with agoraphobia is marginal.