ABSTRACT
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been studied to treat patients with depressive or anxiety disorders. The aim of this study was to examine whether MBCT is effective as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in the treatment of patients with panic disorder. Twenty-three patients with panic disorder were included in a MBCT program for a period of 8 weeks. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (ASI-R), Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire (APPQ), and Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) were used to assess the patients during the MBCT program. Both HAM-A and PDSS scores were significantly decreased at the 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks compared to baseline in the patients with panic disorder (HAM-A, p<0.01; PDSS, p<0.01). Also, BAI, APPQ and ASI-R were improved significantly after MBCT program (BAI, p<0.01; APPQ, p<0.01; ASI-R, p<0.01). In addition, all subscale scores of ASI-R decreased significantly. MBCT could be effective as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in patients with panic disorder. However, randomized controlled trials are needed.
Subject(s)
Anti-Anxiety Agents/therapeutic use , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Meditation , Panic Disorder/therapy , Adult , Chi-Square Distribution , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Panic Disorder/psychology , Patient Selection , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Surveys and Questionnaires , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been widely used to treat patients with depressive disorder to prevent relapse. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of newly developed MBCT program as an adjuvant to pharmacotherapy in the treatment of patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. METHODS: Forty-six patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder were assigned to either MBCT or an anxiety disorder education (ADE) program for a period of 8 weeks. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were used to assess the patients at 0 week and after the two programs had been running for 2, 4, and 8 weeks. RESULTS: The MBCT group demonstrated significantly more improvement than the ADE group according to all anxiety (HAM-A, p<0.01; BAI, p<0.01; anxiety subscale of SCL-90-R, p=0.01) and depression (HAM-D, p<0.01; BDI, p<0.01; depression subscale of SCL-90-R, p<0.01) scale scores. The obsessive-compulsive and phobic subscales of the SCL-90-R also showed significantly more improvement in the MBCT group. However, no significant improvement was observed in the MBCT group versus the ADE group in terms of the somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid ideation, or psychoticism subscale scores of the SCL-90-R. CONCLUSIONS: MBCT may be effective at relieving anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. However, well-designed, randomized controlled trials are needed.
Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders/therapy , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Drug Therapy/methods , Panic Disorder/therapy , Adult , Anxiety Disorders/diagnosis , Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Panic Disorder/diagnosis , Panic Disorder/drug therapy , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a meditation-based stress management program in patients with anxiety disorder. METHODS: Patients with anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to an 8-week clinical trial of either a meditation-based stress management program or an anxiety disorder education program. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Symptom Checklist--90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were used to measure outcome at 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks of the program. RESULTS: Compared to the education group, the meditation-based stress management group showed significant improvement in scores on all anxiety scales (HAM-A, P=.00; STAI state, P=.00; STAI trait, P=.00; anxiety subscale of SCL-90-R, P=.00) and in the SCL-90-R hostility subscale (P=.01). Findings on depression measures were inconsistent, with no significant improvement shown by subjects in the meditation-based stress management group compared to those in the education group. The meditation-based stress management group did not show significant improvement in somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and interpersonal sensitivity scores, or in the SCL-90-R phobic anxiety subscale compared to the education group. CONCLUSIONS: A meditation-based stress management program can be effective in relieving anxiety symptoms in patients with anxiety disorder. However, well-designed, randomized, and controlled trials are needed to scientifically prove the worth of this intervention prior to treatment.