Marital adjustment and treatment outcome in agoraphobia

Forty agoraphobics had individual exposure treatment over a period of 28 weeks and were followed up for two years. Outcome in the 27 married patients was as favourable as that in the 13 single patients. However, among the married patients greater improvement occurred in those with better initial marital and sexual adjustment, although even those with poor initial marital adjustment improved significantly during treatment and maintained that improvement during follow-up. Good initial work adjustment and social adjustment were also predictive of particularly good outcome. Reduction of phobias was accompanied by stable or improved marital, sexual, social and work adjustment.