TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy of a brief psychosocial treatment for panic disorder in an active duty sample
T2 - Implications for military readiness
AU - Schmidt, Norman B.
AU - Staab, Jeffrey P.
AU - Trakowski, John H.
AU - Sammons, Morgan
PY - 1997/2
Y1 - 1997/2
N2 - Objective: The efficacy of a brief cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic in military personnel was evaluated. Method: 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.
AB - Objective: The efficacy of a brief cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic in military personnel was evaluated. Method: 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.
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U2 - 10.1093/milmed/162.2.123
DO - 10.1093/milmed/162.2.123
M3 - Article
C2 - 9038032
AN - SCOPUS:0031032375
SN - 0026-4075
VL - 162
SP - 123
EP - 129
JO - Military Medicine
JF - Military Medicine
IS - 2
ER -