Cognitive mediation of panic reduction during an early intervention for panic

Author(s):
Meulenbeek, P.; Spinhoven, P.; Smit, F.; Balkom, A. van; Cuijpers, P.
Published
2010
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated cognitive mediation of improvement in panic disorder (PD) symptomatology during and after an early intervention for panic symptoms in subthreshold and mild PD. Method: We executed a pragmatic, pre-post, two-group, multi-site, randomized trial of an early intervention for panic symptoms, based on cognitive-behavioural therapy, vs. a wait-list control group in a sample of 217 participants with subthreshold PD or mild PD. Results: First, two of the three subscales of the mediator variable Panic Appraisal Inventory (PAI-anticipation and PAI-coping) significantly mediated residual change in PD symptomatology on the PD Severity Scale-Self Report. Second, preintervention to postintervention PAI-anticipation and PAI-coping change scores significantly predicted postintervention to follow-up change in PD symptomatology after controlling for other change scores. However, the converse association was also significant. Conclusion: The results suggest that changes in cognitions may mediate changes in PD symptomatology and that the process of change is circular.

mediation early intervention panic disorder cognitive-behavioural therapy randomized controlled trial disorder severity scale behavioral treatment depression scale personal mastery hospital anxiety controlled-trial self-efficacy therapy agoraphobia psychotherapy
Date issued
2010-07-31
Language
English
Is part of
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (2010), Vol. 122, no. 1, p. 20-29
hdl
1887/110075
doi
10.1111/j.1600-0447.2009.01530.x