Intensive behavioral therapy for agoraphobia

Inge J. E. knuts; Gabriel Esquivel; Thea Overbeek; Koen R. J. Schruers

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.029

Intensive behavioral therapy for agoraphobia

Inge J. E. knuts^*, Gabriel Esquivel, Thea Overbeek, Koen R. J. Schruers

^*Corresponding author for this work

MHeNs - Mental Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: We investigated the efficacy of an intensive 1-week behavioral therapy program focusing on agoraphobia for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia (PDA). Design and methods: The study design was a case-control study. Main outcome measure was the agoraphobia score of the Fear Questionnaire (FQ-AGO). The outcomes on the FQ-AGO of a 1-week intensive therapy (96 patients) and a twice-weekly therapy (98 patients) were compared. Results: Agoraphobia improved significantly in both groups, 1 week and 3 months after therapy. Effect size for changes in the 1-week intensive therapy on the FQ-AGO was 0.75. Limitations: Limitations are use of antidepressants, no placebo group, and no long term follow-up. Conclusion: Behavioral therapy for agoraphobia can be shortened significantly if intensified without affecting therapy outcome, thus allowing patients a more rapid return to work and resumption of daily activities.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	19-22
Journal	Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume	174
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.029
Publication status	Published - 15 Mar 2015

Keywords

Panic disorder
Agoraphobia
Behavioral therapy
Expanding-spaced exposure
Intensive exposure therapy
Massed-exposure therapy

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.029

Cite this

@article{72e8296711a04192ad7235acec233dcd,

title = "Intensive behavioral therapy for agoraphobia",

abstract = "Background: We investigated the efficacy of an intensive 1-week behavioral therapy program focusing on agoraphobia for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia (PDA). Design and methods: The study design was a case-control study. Main outcome measure was the agoraphobia score of the Fear Questionnaire (FQ-AGO). The outcomes on the FQ-AGO of a 1-week intensive therapy (96 patients) and a twice-weekly therapy (98 patients) were compared. Results: Agoraphobia improved significantly in both groups, 1 week and 3 months after therapy. Effect size for changes in the 1-week intensive therapy on the FQ-AGO was 0.75. Limitations: Limitations are use of antidepressants, no placebo group, and no long term follow-up. Conclusion: Behavioral therapy for agoraphobia can be shortened significantly if intensified without affecting therapy outcome, thus allowing patients a more rapid return to work and resumption of daily activities. ",

keywords = "Panic disorder, Agoraphobia, Behavioral therapy, Expanding-spaced exposure, Intensive exposure therapy, Massed-exposure therapy",

author = "knuts, {Inge J. E.} and Gabriel Esquivel and Thea Overbeek and Schruers, {Koen R. J.}",

year = "2015",

month = mar,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.029",

language = "English",

volume = "174",

pages = "19--22",

journal = "Journal of Affective Disorders",

issn = "0165-0327",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Intensive behavioral therapy for agoraphobia

AU - knuts, Inge J. E.

AU - Esquivel, Gabriel

AU - Overbeek, Thea

AU - Schruers, Koen R. J.

PY - 2015/3/15

Y1 - 2015/3/15

N2 - Background: We investigated the efficacy of an intensive 1-week behavioral therapy program focusing on agoraphobia for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia (PDA). Design and methods: The study design was a case-control study. Main outcome measure was the agoraphobia score of the Fear Questionnaire (FQ-AGO). The outcomes on the FQ-AGO of a 1-week intensive therapy (96 patients) and a twice-weekly therapy (98 patients) were compared. Results: Agoraphobia improved significantly in both groups, 1 week and 3 months after therapy. Effect size for changes in the 1-week intensive therapy on the FQ-AGO was 0.75. Limitations: Limitations are use of antidepressants, no placebo group, and no long term follow-up. Conclusion: Behavioral therapy for agoraphobia can be shortened significantly if intensified without affecting therapy outcome, thus allowing patients a more rapid return to work and resumption of daily activities.

AB - Background: We investigated the efficacy of an intensive 1-week behavioral therapy program focusing on agoraphobia for panic disorder patients with agoraphobia (PDA). Design and methods: The study design was a case-control study. Main outcome measure was the agoraphobia score of the Fear Questionnaire (FQ-AGO). The outcomes on the FQ-AGO of a 1-week intensive therapy (96 patients) and a twice-weekly therapy (98 patients) were compared. Results: Agoraphobia improved significantly in both groups, 1 week and 3 months after therapy. Effect size for changes in the 1-week intensive therapy on the FQ-AGO was 0.75. Limitations: Limitations are use of antidepressants, no placebo group, and no long term follow-up. Conclusion: Behavioral therapy for agoraphobia can be shortened significantly if intensified without affecting therapy outcome, thus allowing patients a more rapid return to work and resumption of daily activities.

KW - Panic disorder

KW - Agoraphobia

KW - Behavioral therapy

KW - Expanding-spaced exposure

KW - Intensive exposure therapy

KW - Massed-exposure therapy

U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.029

DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.029

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SN - 0165-0327

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SP - 19

EP - 22

JO - Journal of Affective Disorders

JF - Journal of Affective Disorders

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