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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2001) 178: 331-336
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Self-exposure therapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia

Randomised controlled study of external v. interoceptive self-exposure*

LIGIA MONTENEGRO ITO, PhD

LUIZ ARMANDO DE ARAUJO, PhD, VERA LUCIA CARVALHO TESS, MD, TITO PAES DE BARROS-NETO, MD and FERNANDO RAMOS ASBAHR, PhD

Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, Brazil

ISAAC MARKS, FRCPsych

Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

Correspondence: Ligia Montenegro Ito, Ambulatorio de Ansiedade (AMBAN), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Cep 05403-010, São Paulo, Brazil

Declaration of interest Supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP).

* Presented at the XXVII Congress of European Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Therapies, Venice, Italy, 26 September 1997.

Background Exposure to external phobic cues is an effective therapy for panic/agoraphobia but the value of exposure to interoceptive cues is unclear.

Aims Randomised controlled comparison in panic/agoraphobia of the effects of (a) external, (b) interceptive or (c) combined external and interoceptive self-exposure to (d) control subjects.

Method Eighty out-patients were randomised to a control group or to one of three forms of self-exposure treatment (external, interoceptive, or combined). Each treatment included seven sessions over 10 weeks and daily self-exposure homework. Assessments were at pre- and post-treatment and up to 1 year post-enty. Assessors remained blind during treatment.

Results The three self-exposure groups improved significantly and similarly at post-treatment and up to 1-year followup, and significantly more than did the control subjects. Rates of improvement on main outcome measures averaged 60% at post-treatment and 77% at follow-up.

Conclusions The three methods of self-exposure were equally effective in reducing panic and agoraphobic symptoms in the short- and long-term.




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Evid. Based Ment. Health, November 1, 2001; 4(4): 104 - 104.
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