PANIC, AGORAPHOBIA, AND PANIC DISORDER WITH AGORAPHOBIA - DATA FROM AMULTICENTER ANXIETY DISORDERS STUDY

In a cross-sectional investigation of the properties of DSM-III-R pani c disorder (PD), panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA), and agoraphobi a without history of panic disorder (AWOPD), we analyzed demographic, descriptive, comorbidity, treatment, and course data for 562 subjects with PD, PDA, or AWOPD in a multicenter anxiety-disorders study. In ge neral, AWOPD subjects had the worst functioning and PD subjects the be st, as measured by length of intake episodes, education attained, like lihood of receiving financial assistance, depressive comorbidity, and Likelihood of having experienced 8 weeks symptom-free. Panic disorder with agoraphobia was the most common disorder and emerged as a conditi on intermediate in severity between the other two. Treatments received varied little by diagnosis. Most subjects received medication, usuall y benzodiazepines. Psychodynamic psychotherapy was the most frequently received psychosocial treatment; cognitive and behavioral approaches were less common. Subjects classified with AWOPD were the most likely to have received exposure therapies.