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[Group therapy of anxiety--benefits and profits]
Background:
Since 1988, the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Kongsberg Hospital has carried out group treatment for patients with anxiety disorders. This study assesses the effect of this treatment.
Material And Methods:
Nineteen of a total of 27 patients were included in the study. Diagnostic criteria were agoraphobia with or without panic disorder. The length of treatment was three months. Methods used were cognitive behavioural therapy, physiotherapy and group therapy. Ratings of the patients' symptoms were made before treatment, at termination of treatment and one to three years after. The Symptom Score Check List (SCL 90) rates the level of symptoms on nine different dimensions.
Results:
Analysis of variance for repeated measures (ANOVA) indicates reduction on six of the symptom dimensions at termination of treatment. Significant values of reduction was achieved for anxiety and phobic anxiety. This was even further reduced one to three years later.
Interpretation:
We could not establish whether the treatment has been effective concerning the symptoms being treated.