Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy for panic disorder in a specialized unit

Methods. Treatment consisted of nine weekly group sessions. Patients with PD (n=56) were assessed at baseline after the treatment and in one and three-months follow-ups.Results. There were significant reductions in panic/ agoraphobia symptoms and related variables between baseline and post-treatment and these reductions were maintained in three-month follow-up. No differences were observed between those patients who received only CBT and those who received pharmacological treatment as well as CBT. Only initial panic/agoraphobia symptoms were significant predictors of treatment response at the end of treatment (a greater severity was associated with a worse response to CBT).Conclusions. Our results show that group CBT in a specialized unit is effective for PD patients.Introduction. The efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy for panic disorder (PD) with or without agoraphobia is well established but few data exist on its effectiveness using a group format. The goal of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of group CBT in a sample of PD patients in a specialized unit.