Cognitive-behavior therapy for Japanese patients with panic disorder: acute phase and one-year follow-up results.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this paper is to report the outcomes and follow-up data of our cognitive behavioral therapy program for Japanese patients with panic disorder and to examine the baseline predictors of their outcomes.


METHODS
Seventy outpatients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were treated with manualized group cognitive behavioral therapy.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients (20%) did not complete the program. Among the completers, the average Panic Disorder Severity Scale score fell from 12.8 at baseline to 7.1 post-therapy (44.7% reduction). This effectiveness was sustained for 1 year. While controlling for the baseline severity, the duration of illness and the baseline social dysfunction emerged as significant predictors of the outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that group cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder can bring about as much symptom reduction among Japanese patients with panic disorder as among Western patients.
Nakano
Yumi
Y
Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan. yunakano@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
Lee
Kiyoe
K
Noda
Yumiko
Y
Ogawa
Sei
S
Kinoshita
Yoshihiro
Y
Funayama
Tadashi
T
Watanabe
Norio
N
Chen
Junwen
J
Noguchi
Yuka
Y
Furukawa
Toshiaki A
TA
D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics; D012917:Social Adjustment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents