Accelerated outpatient individual cognitive‐behaviour therapy for panic disorder: A case study

Abstract

Objective Panic disorder (PD) is a common mental health condition which causes substantial disability. It is well known that cognitive‐behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for PD and this treatment is generally provided in 8–14 weekly sessions. A small number of preliminary studies have now investigated the efficacy of accelerated or intensive CBT in the treatment of PD and have found promising results. However, many of these existing treatment formats do not allow for optimal learning, since sessions are administered daily which does not allow time for the client to practice the skills between sessions. Method The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an accelerated CBT (aCBT) approach where treatment was provided three times per week (90‐min sessions) over a two‐week period (six sessions in total) using a case study design. The participant completed a structured diagnostic interview to confirm diagnosis and outcome measures were administered at baseline, post‐treatment, and three‐month follow‐up. Results The results indicated that the participant significantly reduced symptoms of PD over a two‐week period and no longer met diagnostic criteria for PD at three‐month follow‐up. Importantly, the participant also found the treatment format to be highly acceptable. Conclusions The results demonstrate the preliminary acceptability and efficacy of this aCBT approach in the treatment of PD.

Accelerated Outpatient Individual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Preliminary Pilot Study

“…Accelerated CBT is generally under-utilized in the treatment of internalizing disorders (Jónsson et al, 2015). Currently there are a small number of studies that demonstrate the efficacy of out-patient aCBT for a number of anxiety and related disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder (Foa et al, 2005; Storch et al, 2007), post-traumatic stress disorder (Ehlers et al, 2014), agoraphobia (Knuts et al, 2015) and panic disorder (Chase et al, 2012; Teng et al, 2015; Wootton and MacGregor, 2016). Results from these preliminary studies indicate that accelerated treatments are efficacious and acceptable to patients (Bevan et al, 2010).…”

The unique and conditional effects of interoceptive exposure in the treatment of anxiety: A functional analysis

“…Nevertheless, most extant research on IE is confined to the treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia (e.g., Griez & van den Hout, 1983Craske & Barlow, 1989;Beck, Shipherd & Zebb, 1997, Arntz, 2002Keough & Schmidt, 2012;Vujanovic et al, 2012;Wootton & MacGregor, 2016). Notable applications of IE to disorders beyond the domain of panic disorder include the treatment of social anxiety, which is often characterized by a sensitivity to physical symptoms that may be apparent to others such as blushing or trembling (Collimore & Asmundson, 2014;Dixon et al, 2015); and post-traumatic stress disorder, characterized by hyperarousal (e.g., Wald & Taylor, 2005.…”

The Future is Bright: Exciting Times for the Science and Practice of Clinical Psychology

“…The single‐case study, a much maligned and misunderstood research method, plays a vital role in discovery and innovation in treatment (see Barlow, Nock, & Hersen, ). When done properly, this approach can be the discovery ground for new interventions that have the potential to change the way we work with our clients (e.g., see Wootton & MacGregor, in press). Likewise, qualitative approaches offer important early steps in understanding and contextualising clinical problems (e.g., see Mertin, Moyle, & Veremeenko, ).…”