Cognitive changes in health locus of control attributions after behavioral analysis in patients with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia.

Patients with Panic Disorder and / or Agoraphobia (PD +/- Ag) attribute their mental health more to external factors and less to internal, while after behavior treatment (BT) their external attributions decrease and internal attributions increase. We examined whether these cognitive changes observed at the end of BT, begin earlier. Forty patients with PD +/- Ag were assessed on the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, before and after the diagnostic and psychoeducational sessions that precede the clinical implementation of BT. Decreased health attributions to significant others (t = 4.22, p < 0.01), and an increase trend to self (t = -0.78, p = 0.43) were observed, which are compatible with the active role patients need to adopt in the clinical application of BT.

Manualized single-session behavior treatment with self-help manual for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.

Objective: We examined the clinical feasibility and utility of a single behavior treatment session, with 11 patients with Panic Disorder with or without Agoraphobia (PD+/-AG). Patients used an individualized, exposure based, homework manual, derived from their behavioral analysis. Treatment was implemented in an outpatient behavior treatment unit. Method: Patients presented with moderate to severe anxiety, avoidance behavior, functional impairment and depressive symptoms. Treatment was evaluated with a double-baseline case series/pre-post design with four follow-ups. Results: There was a significant and steady improvement in all self-rated outcome measures and participants were satisfied with the services provided. Nine out of 11 patients (82%) were free of PD+/-AG at 3 months and all patients at 1-year follow-up. The absence of a control group, the small sample and lack of blind assessments, limit the validity of the study. Conclusions: These case studies provide empirical evidence in support of both the feasibility and utility of a single-session behavior treatment (SSBT) plus self-help implemented in a public mental health unit. Further research with a control group is needed to assess the efficacy of the intervention in routine clinical practice.

Earthquake-related psychological distress and associated factors 4 years after the Parnitha earthquake in Greece.

Exposure to earthquakes has been associated with psychological distress and in particular the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Earthquake-related psychological distress can be longstanding. The present study involved 157 Greek survivors of the 1999 Parnitha earthquake assessed approximately 4 years after the earthquake. Assessments were based on the Traumatic Stress Symptom Checklist (TSSC). Using stringent calibrations for the estimation of symptom presence 25% of the survivors endorsed at least 5 and 12% at least 10 TSSC symptoms. Approximately 22% of the survivors reported subjective distress and 15% impaired adjustment due to their symptoms. Intensity of fear during the earthquake and participation in rescue operations related to greater post-earthquake psychological distress. The results suggest that the psychological consequences of earthquakes can be serious and long-standing even when the magnitude of the earthquake is moderate. Psychological treatments that have been proven to reduce fear and PTSD symptoms need to be made available to the survivors. Such treatments may also increase the survivors' psychological preparedness and emotional resilience in view of future earthquakes.