The impact of an 8-day intensive treatment for adolescent panic disorder and agoraphobia on comorbid diagnoses.
Previous research findings have shown positive effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for primary anxiety disorders as well as for nonprimary, co-occurring anxiety disorders. In this study, we analyzed data from an existing randomized controlled trial of intensive treatment for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (PDA) to examine the effects of the treatment on comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. The overall frequency and severity of aggregated comorbid diagnoses decreased in a group of adolescents who received an 8-day treatment for PDA. Results suggest that an 8-day treatment for PDA can alleviate the symptoms of some specific comorbid clinical diagnoses; in particular specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, and social phobia. These findings suggest that an intensive treatment for PDA is associated with reductions in comorbid symptoms even though disorders other than PDA are not specific treatment targets.
Department of Psychology, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Boston University, 648 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA. kgallo@bu.edu
Kaitlin P
KP
Gallo
Priscilla T
PT
Chan
Brian A
BA
Buzzella
Sarah W
SW
Whitton
Donna B
DB
Pincus
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index