Two-year follow-up after a randomised controlled trial of self- and clinician-accompanied exposure for phobia/panic disorders

TY - JOUR

T1 - Two-year follow-up after a randomised controlled trial of self- and clinician-accompanied exposure for phobia/panic disorders

AU - Park, J M

AU - Mataix-Cols, D

AU - Marks, I M

AU - Ngamthipwatthana, T

AU - Marks, M

AU - Araya, R

AU - Al-Kubaisy, T

PY - 2001/6

Y1 - 2001/6

N2 - BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up has rarely been reported after self-exposure therapy for phobias.AIMS: Completion of such a follow-up.METHOD: Two-year follow-up was achieved in 68 (85%) of 80 patients with phobias who had completed a previous 14-week randomised controlled trial comparing therapist-accompanied self-exposure, self-exposure or self-relaxation. Measures were self-reported ratings of symptoms, satisfaction and use of other treatment.RESULTS: Improvement at week 14 was maintained 2 years later. Clinician-accompanied exposure and self-exposure did not differ on any measure. Compliance with self-exposure homework during weeks 0-8 predicted more improvement 2 years later. Patients who failed to improve with relaxation by week 14 improved after subsequent crossover to exposure. A need for more treatment for their phobias was still felt by 33 patients (49%).CONCLUSIONS: Patients with phobias maintained their improvement to 2-year follow-up after the end of self-exposure therapy.

AB - BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up has rarely been reported after self-exposure therapy for phobias.AIMS: Completion of such a follow-up.METHOD: Two-year follow-up was achieved in 68 (85%) of 80 patients with phobias who had completed a previous 14-week randomised controlled trial comparing therapist-accompanied self-exposure, self-exposure or self-relaxation. Measures were self-reported ratings of symptoms, satisfaction and use of other treatment.RESULTS: Improvement at week 14 was maintained 2 years later. Clinician-accompanied exposure and self-exposure did not differ on any measure. Compliance with self-exposure homework during weeks 0-8 predicted more improvement 2 years later. Patients who failed to improve with relaxation by week 14 improved after subsequent crossover to exposure. A need for more treatment for their phobias was still felt by 33 patients (49%).CONCLUSIONS: Patients with phobias maintained their improvement to 2-year follow-up after the end of self-exposure therapy.

KW - Adult

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Humans

KW - Implosive Therapy/methods

KW - Male

KW - Panic Disorder/therapy

KW - Patient Satisfaction

KW - Phobic Disorders/therapy

KW - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales

KW - Relaxation Therapy

KW - Self Care

KW - Treatment Outcome

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0035015454

U2 - 10.1192/bjp.178.6.543

DO - 10.1192/bjp.178.6.543

M3 - Article

C2 - 11388971

SN - 1472-1465

VL - 178

SP - 543

EP - 548

JO - British Journal of Psychiatry

JF - British Journal of Psychiatry

IS - 6

ER -