BACKGROUND: Exposure to external phobic cues is an effective therapy for panic/agoraphobia but the value of exposure to interoceptive cues is unclear. AIMS: Randomised controlled comparison in panic/agoraphobia of the effects of (a) external, (b) interceptive or (c) combined external and interoceptive self-exposure to (d) control subjects. METHOD:Eighty out-patients were randomised to a control group or to one of three forms of self-exposure treatment (external, interoceptive, or combined). Each treatment included seven sessions over 10 weeks and daily self-exposure homework. Assessments were at pre- and post-treatment and up to 1 year post-entry. Assessors remained blind during treatment. RESULTS: The three self-exposure groups improved significantly and similarly at post-treatment and up to 1-year followup, and significantly more than did the control subjects. Rates of improvement on main outcome measures averaged 60% at post-treatment and 77% at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The three methods of self-exposure were equally effective in reducing panic and agoraphobic symptoms in the short- and long-term.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Exposure to external phobic cues is an effective therapy for panic/agoraphobia but the value of exposure to interoceptive cues is unclear. AIMS: Randomised controlled comparison in panic/agoraphobia of the effects of (a) external, (b) interceptive or (c) combined external and interoceptive self-exposure to (d) control subjects. METHOD: Eighty out-patients were randomised to a control group or to one of three forms of self-exposure treatment (external, interoceptive, or combined). Each treatment included seven sessions over 10 weeks and daily self-exposure homework. Assessments were at pre- and post-treatment and up to 1 year post-entry. Assessors remained blind during treatment. RESULTS: The three self-exposure groups improved significantly and similarly at post-treatment and up to 1-year followup, and significantly more than did the control subjects. Rates of improvement on main outcome measures averaged 60% at post-treatment and 77% at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The three methods of self-exposure were equally effective in reducing panic and agoraphobic symptoms in the short- and long-term.
Authors: Steven Jones; Elly McGrath; Kay Hampshire; Rebecca Owen; Lisa Riste; Chris Roberts; Linda Davies; Debbie Mayes Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2013-02-15 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Katleen Bogaerts; Liselotte Rayen; Ann Lavrysen; Ilse Van Diest; Thomas Janssens; Koen Schruers; Omer Van den Bergh Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-01-20 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Jochen Gensichen; Thomas S Hiller; Jörg Breitbart; Tobias Teismann; Christian Brettschneider; Ulrike Schumacher; Alexander Piwtorak; Hans-Helmut König; Heike Hoyer; Nico Schneider; Mercedes Schelle; Wolfgang Blank; Paul Thiel; Michel Wensing; Jürgen Margraf Journal: Trials Date: 2014-04-06 Impact factor: 2.279