Validation of the Panic Outcomes Module

This article discusses the validation of a module designed to evaluate the outcomes of clinical care for panic disorder. The research utilized a longitudinal design to examine cross-sectional relationships and change over time within and between subjects. Baseline, follow-up, and test-retest data were collected on 73 patients. The initial field test indicates that the Panic Outcomes Module measures outcomes and case-mix characteristics with acceptable levels of measurement error for group data. The module's measure of change in panic severity demonstrated encouraging agreement with the structured interviewer's judgement of change. This module, completed in approximately 20 minutes, is short enough to incorporate into outpatient mental health settings. We recommend that providers and administrators interested in monitoring the outcomes of specialty care for panic disorder seek assistance from health services researchers to use the Panic outcomes module. Further research is needed to validate this module for use in primary care populations.