Rate of improvement during cognitive-behavioral group treatment for panic disorder

This study examined the rate of symptom improvement in patients receiving cognitive-behavioral group treatment for panic disorder in an outpatient clinic setting. Treatment was a standard program of 12 sessions that emphasized information, interoceptive and situational exposure, and cognitive restructuring, but also included diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation training as elements of treatment. Subjects were 37 patients selected from sequential admissions into an outpatient treatment program; all data were derived from ongoing quality assurance measures that are a standard part of clinical monitoring. Consequently, this study provides data not on the relative efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), but on rate of improvement and effectiveness of CBT for panic disorder in actual clinical practice. Patients achieved significant treatment gains on all panic disorder dimensions assessed, and the largest reduction in symptoms was during the first third of the treatment program, thereby challenging the notion that CBT delivers its gains slowly over time. Information on rats of symptom improvement is valuable for providing patients with accurate expectations about potential treatment benefits and for helping to maintain motivation during initial treatment sessions.