Brief treatments for panic disorder: a pilot study of the bergen repeated one-session treatment format

Panic disorder (PD) significantly impacts individuals' daily lives and overall well-being. While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard for PD treatment, there is a growing interest in brief interventions to improve accessibility and reduce treatment burden. This study explored the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a brief, four-session CBT intervention for PD, grounded in an intention-focused approach. The treatment emphasized modifying patients' intentions underlying avoidance and safety behaviors during exposure tasks, aiming to enhance engagement and therapeutic effect.

This naturalistic effectiveness study involved 27 patients from the Norwegian Specialist Health Care clinic who were referred for PD treatment. Participants received the Bergen Repeated One-Session Treatment (BrOST), a brief, intention-focused cognitive behavioral intervention delivered in four individual sessions over a period of two to three weeks. Standardized self-report measures were administered to assess the severity of panic symptoms, general anxiety, depressive symptoms, and treatment satisfaction.

The treatment resulted in significant reductions in PD severity from pretreatment to one week posttreatment, with sustained improvements at three months. There were also notable reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression. High levels of treatment satisfaction were reported by the patients. These findings suggest that the BrOST could be a promising alternative to traditional CBT protocols.

This study indicated that the BrOST may be a promising brief CBT intervention for individuals with PD. Larger and more controlled studies are warranted.

The study was reviewed by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics Northern Norway, REK North (REK Midt 2023/ 701114).