RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Panic disorder (PD) has a chronic nature, especially as a result of maladaptive coping strategies to deal with stressful events. AIMS: To evaluate the impact of booster sessions with cognitive techniques on coping strategies, resilience, and quality of life (QoL) in patients previously submitted to standard cognitive-behavioural group therapy (CBGT) for PD. METHOD: A controlled clinical trial with 44 patients with PD (intervention = 20; control = 24) who had previously completed a 12-week CBGT protocol. PD, anxiety, and depression severity symptoms were assessed at baseline and 1, 6, and 12 months after the booster sessions. Coping strategies, resilience, and QoL were assessed by Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI), Resilience Scale, and WHOQOL-BREF respectively. RESULTS: Over time, a significant improvement in PD and depression symptoms was observed in both groups. A significant increase in the QoL social relations domain was found in the booster group, considering a time/group interaction. Coping and other QoL domains did not change after the booster sessions. Changes in resilience were dependent on the intensity of symptoms, with negative but non-significant correlations. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement in PD and depression symptoms for both groups may be a result of the group format of the intervention. Group booster sessions after CBGT are useful to maintain the benefits obtained with CBGT.
Assuntos
Adaptação Psicológica , Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental/métodos , Transtorno de Pânico/terapia , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Transtorno de Pânico/psicologia , Psicoterapia de Grupo/métodos , Qualidade de Vida/psicologia , Resiliência Psicológica , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
AIMS: The objective of this study was to compare the family burden and environment of patients with panic disorder (PD) with those of a control group composed of relatives of patients with clinical diseases. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed with 67 relatives of patients with PD, and 66 family members of patients with clinical diseases. All patients were administered a set of instruments to assess family burden and environment. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses revealed significant between-group differences on measurements of objective and subjective burden, both of which can be influenced by kinship, since higher levels of family burden tend to be reported by the children of the affected individual. Levels of family burden also tend to be associated with the severity of PD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment of family burden may be useful in developing family-focused therapeutic strategies and may contribute to the improvement of patient outcomes.
Assuntos
Efeitos Psicossociais da Doença , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/psicologia , Família/psicologia , Cardiopatias/psicologia , Hipertensão/psicologia , Transtorno de Pânico/psicologia , Adulto , Idoso , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) is an efficient treatment for panic disorder (PD). However, the role of CBGT in enhancing strategies to cope with stressful events has not been established. AIM: To evaluate the effect of CBGT on the choice of coping strategy by PD patients compared to a group of individuals without mental disorders. METHODS: Forty-eight PD patients who completed a 12-session CBGT protocol were compared to 75 individuals without mental disorders regarding coping strategies as evaluated by the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI). The severity of PD was assessed at baseline and after CBGT through the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), and the Panic Inventory (PI). RESULTS: Treatment was effective in reducing PD severity in all outcome measures. Patients used significantly fewer confrontation, escape and avoidance strategies after CBGT. The use of more adaptive coping strategies was related to a decrease in panic attacks and anticipatory anxiety. Application of the CSI showed that the use of strategies was also significantly different in patients as compared to the control group, except for escape and avoidance, which became similar after the CBGT protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the changes observed after the CBGT protocol, the choice of coping strategy was still different in patients vs. controls. The current CBGT protocol was used specifically to assess PD symptoms. Other cognitive tools should be included to address maladaptive coping strategies.