title: Impact of cognitive-behavioral treatment on quality of life in panic disorder patients.
abstract: Panic disorder (PD) is associated with significant social and health consequences. The present study examined the impact of treatment on PD patients' quality of life. Patients (N = 156) meeting DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [3rd ed., rev.]; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) criteria for PD with agoraphobia were randomly assigned to group cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) or a delayed-treatment control. An assessment battery measuring the major clinical features of PD as well as quality of life was administered at baseline (Week 0), post-treatment (Week 9) and 6-month follow-up (Week 35). Consistent with previous studies, PD patients displayed significant impairment in quality of life at intake. Compared with delayed-treatment control participants, CBT-treated participants showed significant reductions in impairment that were maintained at follow-up. Consistent with prediction, anxiety and phobic avoidance were significantly associated with quality of life, whereas frequency of panic attacks was not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin 78712, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Telch
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Jaimez
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jacquin
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Harrington
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome