Efficacy of a Brief Psychosocial Treatment for Panic Disorder in an Active Duty Sample: Implications for Military Readiness

Abstract

The efficacy of a brief cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic in military personnel was evaluated. Active duty military patients (N = 37) presenting at outpatient psychiatry and psychology clinics were randomly assigned to immediate or delayed treatment conditions. All patients met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for a primary diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. At posttreatment, 80% of the immediate treatment group, compared to 0% of the delayed treatment group, met recovery criteria on all major clinical facets of panic disorder (i.e., panic attacks, panic-related worry, phobic avoidance). At follow-up, 75% of the treated group continued to meet recovery criteria, suggesting maintenance of treatment gains. A majority of those patients (58%) taking benzodiazepines at the start of treatment were successfully discontinued by posttreatment. Brief, skill-based treatments for panic disorder are effective for a majority of active duty personnel. These treatments may also improve military readiness by facilitating benzodiazepine discontinuation.