Efficacy of a brief psychosocial treatment for panic disorder in an active duty sample: implications for military readiness.
OBJECTIVE
The efficacy of a brief cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic in military personnel was evaluated.


METHODS
Active duty military patients (N = 37) presenting at outpatient psychiatry and psychology clinics were randomly assigned to immediate or delayed treatment conditions. All patients met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for a primary diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.


RESULTS
At posttreatment, 80% of the immediate treatment group, compared to 0% of the delayed treatment group, met recovery criteria on all major clinical facets of panic disorder (i.e., panic attacks, panic-related worry, phobic avoidance). At follow-up, 75% of the treated group continued to meet recovery criteria, suggesting maintenance of treatment gains. A majority of those patients (58%) taking benzodiazepines at the start of treatment were successfully discontinued by posttreatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Brief, skill-based treatments for panic disorder are effective for a majority of active duty personnel. These treatments may also improve military readiness by facilitating benzodiazepine discontinuation.
Schmidt
N B
NB
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA.
Staab
J P
JP
Trakowski
J H
JH
Sammons
M
M
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines