Cognitive versus behavioral treatment of concurrent alcohol dependence and agoraphobia: a pilot study

With the growing awareness of the prevalence of anxiety disorders among alcohol abusers there is a need for effective cognitive--behavioral treatments (CBTs). This study is a pilot investigation comparing two treatments for concurrent alcohol dependence and panic disorder with agoraphobia. A 10-session behavioral treatment (BT), consisting of five sessions treating alcohol dependence and five sessions treating panic disorder with agoraphobia, was compared to a 10-session cognitive treatment (CT) that addressed the dysfunctional cognitions mediating the alcohol problem and anxiety symptoms. There were no group differences in frequency or quantity of alcohol consumption or in anxiety symptoms posttreatment or at a 1-year follow-up in a sample of 14 subjects who completed the study. Both groups showed within-group improvements on measures of both alcohol and anxiety symptomatology. Approximately one-third of the subjects made clinically relevant gains on both alcohol and anxiety symptoms. A brief BT for concurrent alcohol dependence and agoraphobia appears encouraging.