Anxiety Sensitivity and Panic Disorder: Evaluation of the Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a multidimensional construct associated with the etiology and maintenance of panic disorder (PD) symptoms. However, only a few studies have evaluated whether cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) can modify the condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of CBGT on AS in patients with PD and to analyze AS and its dimensions as predictors of response to CBGT. In the present clinical trial, an intervention group (n = 37) attended 12 CBGT sessions, while a control group (n = 52) did not receive any intervention. The severity of symptoms and of AS were evaluated before and after CBGT in the intervention group and once in the control group. Significant improvement occurred in all specific PD symptoms and in general anxiety and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, AS scores reduced significantly after intervention. This study confirmed that AS is higher in patients with more severe PD. The effectiveness of CBGT for reducing the physical, cognitive, and social dimensions of AS was also observed, supporting the hypothesis of a positive impact of therapy.

Cross-cultural adaptation and translation into Brazilian Portuguese of the instruments Sick Control One Stone Fat Food Questionnaire (SCOFF), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire (CIA).

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders (EDs) affect up to 13% of young people and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, important, internationally recognized instruments for brief ED screening (Sick Control One Stone Fat Food Questionnaire [SCOFF]), symptom severity assessment and diagnosis (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire [EDE-Q]) and assessment of ED-associated psychosocial impairment (Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire [CIA]) were not yet available in Brazilian Portuguese. Our objective was to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and translation into Brazilian Portuguese of the instruments SCOFF, EDE-Q and CIA. METHOD: The process involved a series of standardized steps, as well as discussions with experts. First, the relevance and adequacy of the scales' items to our culture and population were extensively discussed. Then, two independent groups translated the original documents, creating versions that were compared. With the participation of external ED experts (i.e., who did not take part in the translation process), synthesized versions were produced. The syntheses were then applied to a focal group of patients with ED (n = 8). After that step, a preliminary version of the three scales in Brazilian Portuguese was produced and sent for back-translation by two English native speakers, who worked independently. A synthesis of the back-translations, along with the preliminary versions in Brazilian Portuguese, were sent to the original authors. RESULTS: The Brazilian Portuguese versions of SCOFF, EDE-Q and CIA were approved by the original authors and are now available for use. CONCLUSION: This study provides important tools for the ED research field in Brazil.

Cross-cultural adaptation and translation into Brazilian Portuguese of the instruments Sick Control One Stone Fat Food Questionnaire (SCOFF), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire (CIA)

Abstract Introduction Eating disorders (EDs) affect up to 13% of young people and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, important, internationally recognized instruments for brief ED screening (Sick Control One Stone Fat Food Questionnaire [SCOFF]), symptom severity assessment and diagnosis (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire [EDE-Q]) and assessment of ED-associated psychosocial impairment (Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire [CIA]) were not yet available in Brazilian Portuguese. Our objective was to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and translation into Brazilian Portuguese of the instruments SCOFF, EDE-Q and CIA. Method The process involved a series of standardized steps, as well as discussions with experts. First, the relevance and adequacy of the scales' items to our culture and population were extensively discussed. Then, two independent groups translated the original documents, creating versions that were compared. With the participation of external ED experts (i.e., who did not take part in the translation process), synthesized versions were produced. The syntheses were then applied to a focal group of patients with ED (n = 8). After that step, a preliminary version of the three scales in Brazilian Portuguese was produced and sent for back-translation by two English native speakers, who worked independently. A synthesis of the back-translations, along with the preliminary versions in Brazilian Portuguese, were sent to the original authors. Results The Brazilian Portuguese versions of SCOFF, EDE-Q and CIA were approved by the original authors and are now available for use. Conclusion This study provides important tools for the ED research field in Brazil.

Sensibilidade à ansiedade e transtorno de pânico: avaliação do impacto da terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo / Anxiety sensitivity and panic disorder: assessment of the impact of group cognitive behavioral therapy

O transtorno de pânico (TP) é caracterizado pela presença de ataques súbitos de ansiedade e sensação de medo intenso. Embora haja tratamento efetivo com medicações e terapia cognitivo-comportamental (TCC), muitos pacientes tratados apresentam resposta parcial e tendem à cronicidade. A sensibilidade à ansiedade (SA) é um constructo multidimensional que expressa preocupações físicas, sociais e cognitivas da ansiedade, considerada uma tendência específica a reagir com medo aos sintomas de ansiedade. A SA tem sido associada à gênese e à manutenção dos sintomas do TP, porém ainda são escassos estudos que avaliam se a TCC em grupo (TCCG) modifica tal condição. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: 1) avaliar o impacto da TCCG na SA em pacientes com TP; 2) verificar a associação entre as características sociodemográficas e clínicas (comorbidades, uso de medicação, gravidade do TP) relacionadas à SA; 3) verificar as variáveis clínicas relacionadas à mudança da SA após a TCCG; 4) analisar a SA e suas dimensões como preditor de resposta à TCCG. Trata-se de um ensaio clínico controlado para avaliação da SA em pacientes com TP que realizaram 12 sessões de TCCG comparados ao grupo controle sem a intervenção. A gravidade dos sintomas foi avaliada antes e depois da TCCG no grupo intervenção e uma vez no grupo controle. Utilizou-se a Escala de gravidade do TP (PDSS), a Impressão Clínica Global (CGI), a Hamilton Ansiedade (HAM-A), o Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck (BAI) e o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI). Para avaliar a SA, foi utilizada a Escala de Sensibilidade à Ansiedade-Revisada (ESA-R) com quatro fatores: fator 1 − medo de sintomas respiratórios e cardiovasculares; fator 2 − medo de descontrole cognitivo; fator 3 − medo de que as reações à ansiedade sejam observadas publicamente; fator 4 − medo de sintomas gastrintestinais. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (nº 14-0379). Os pacientes assinaram o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido (TCLE). A amostra foi composta por 89 sujeitos, com média de idade de 37,9 (DP=10,6) anos. Observou-se associação significativa entre a SA mais elevada em pacientes com comorbidade com agorafobia e sintomas mais elevados de ansiedade e de depressão. Um total de 37 (42%) pacientes participou do grupo intervenção e 52 (58%) pacientes do grupo controle. Houve melhora significativa em todos os sintomas específicos do TP, da ansiedade geral e dos sintomas depressivos. A SA também sofreu redução significativa em todos os fatores após a intervenção quando comparada aos escores iniciais, com tamanho de efeito (TE) de moderado a grande. Quando comparada a SA do grupo controle e do grupo intervenção após a TCCG, os escores da ESA-R diminuíram significativamente em todos os fatores e no total. Ou seja, a SA modifica-se com a TCCG tanto em termos de intragrupo intervenção quanto em termos de escores do grupo controle. Os resultados deste estudo confirmaram que a relação entre a SA é maior em pacientes com TP mais graves. Também foi evidenciada a eficácia da TCCG na redução das dimensões física, cognitiva e social da SA, confirmando a hipótese do impacto positivo da TCCG para a modificação desse quadro.

Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by the presence of sudden attacks of anxiety and intense fear sensation. Although there are effective treatments with medications and cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT), many treated patients present partial response and tend to chronicity. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a multidimensional construct that expresses physical, social and cognitive anxiety concerns, considered a specific tendency to react with fear to the symptoms of anxiety. AS has been associated with the genesis and maintenance of PD symptoms, but there are still few studies evaluating whether CBT in group (CBT-G) modifies such condition. The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate the impact of CBT-G on AS in patients with PD; 2) to verify the association between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics (comorbidities, medication use, severity of PD) related to AS; 3) to verify the clinical variables related to the change in AS after CBT-G; 4) to analyze AS and its dimensions as a predictor of response to CBT-G. This is a controlled clinical trial for the evaluation of AS in patients with PD who performed 12 sessions of CBT-G compared to the control group without the intervention. The severity of the symptoms was evaluated before and after the CBT-G in the intervention group and once in the control group. We used the PD Severity Scale (PDSS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). In order to evaluate the AS, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (ASI-R) was used with four factors: factor 1 - fear of respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms; factor 2 - fear of cognitive uncontrol; factor 3 - fear that reactions to anxiety could be publicly observed; factor 4 - fear of gastrointestinal symptoms. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital de Clínicas of Porto Alegre (nº 14-0379). Patients signed the informed consent form (TCLE). The sample consisted of 89 subjects, with a mean age of 37.9 (SD = 10.6) years. A significant association was observed between the highest AS in patients with comorbidity with agoraphobia and higher anxiety and depression symptoms. A total of 37 (42%) patients participated in the intervention group and 52 (58%) patients in the control group. There was a significant improvement in all the specific symptoms of PD, general anxiety and depressive symptoms. AS also had a significant reduction in all factors after the intervention when compared to the initial scores, with moderate to large effect size (ES). When compared to AS of the control group and the intervention group after the CBT-G, ASI-R scores decreased significantly in all factors and in the total. That is to say, AS is modified with CBT-G both in terms of intragroup intervention and in terms of scores of the control group. The results of this study confirmed that the relationship between AS is higher in patients with more severe PD. The effectiveness of CBT-G in reducing the physical, cognitive and social dimensions of AS was also evidenced, confirming the hypothesis of the positive impact of CBT-G for the modification of this condition.

Avaliação dos fatores terapêuticos de grupo e a resposta à terapia cognitivo-comportamental para transtorno de pânico e transtorno obsessivo compulsivo / Group therapeutic factors assessment and response to cognitive behavioral assessment therapy for panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder

Estudos evidenciam a eficácia da terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo (TCCG) para pacientes com transtorno de pânico (TP) e para pacientes com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (TOC). O processo das terapias em grupo é complexo e apresentam fatores considerados terapêuticos por facilitarem novas aprendizagens. Entretanto, estudos sobre o processo terapêutico de TCCG ainda são escassos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: avaliar o efeito dos fatores terapêuticos na resposta à TCCG para pacientes com TP e para pacientes com TOC; identificar e relacionar os fatores terapêuticos que ocorrem na TCCG com a fase e as técnicas cognitivo-comportamentais. Trata-se de um ensaio clínico de 12 sessões de TCCG para TP e para TOC. A gravidade dos sintomas foi avaliada antes e depois da TCCG. Em pacientes com TP, utilizou-se a Escala de gravidade do TP (PDSS), a Impressão Clínica Global (CGI), a Hamilton Ansiedade (HAM-A) e o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI). Em pacientes com TOC, a gravidade específica foi avaliada pela Escala Obsessivo-Compulsivo de Yale-Brown (Y-BOCS) e pela CGI, bem como pela HAM-A e pelo BDI. O Questionário de Fatores Terapêuticos de Yalom foi aplicado no final de cada sessão para avaliar os 12 fatores: altruísmo, coesão, universalidade, aprendizagem interpessoal-input, aprendizagem interpessoal-output, orientação, catarse, identificação, redefinição familiar, autocompreensão, instilação de esperança e fatores existenciais. O estudo foi aprovado pelo CEP/HCPA (nº 130400). Todos os pacientes assinaram o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido. A amostra foi composta por 31 pacientes, sendo 16 no grupo do TP com idade média de 36,2(DP=9,98) anos e 15 pacientes no grupo do TOC com idade média de 37,4(DP=11,10) anos. Os fatores terapêuticos totalizaram 192 observações no grupo do TP e 180 no grupo do TOC...

Houve melhora significativa da gravidade dos sintomas de ansiedade, depressivos e específicos comparados com a avaliação inicial em ambos os grupos (p<0,001). Oito fatores foram considerados de utilidade significativa para os pacientes ao longo das sessões do grupo do TP. Observou-se interação significativa no grupo dos pacientes com TP entre o efeito do fator reedição familiar na melhora dos sintomas de ansiedade e depressivos. Os fatores existenciais foram significativos com a melhora dos sintomas depressivos e com os específicos do TP verificado pela PDSS. Quanto à CGI no TP, não se verificou interação significativa com nenhum fator terapêutico. No grupo de pacientes com TOC, os fatores considerados mais úteis foram dois. Constatou-se interação significativa no grupo do TOC entre o efeito de nove fatores e a melhora dos sintomas de ansiedade, porém nenhuma interção com sintomas depressivos. Também houve interação significativa entre a melhora dos sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos verificado pela YBOCS com altruísmo, universalidade, aprendizagem interpessoal-input e output, reedição familiar, autocompreensão e fatores existenciais. Quanto à CGI no TOC, houve interação significativa com os fatores aprendizagem interpessoal-input, autocompreensão e fatores existenciais. Os resultados demonstram que fatores terapêuticos de grupo influenciam positivamente a resposta da TCCG para ambos os grupos. Contudo, existem diferenças de efeito a serem consideradas para que haja melhor compreensão do processo terapêutico e aprimoramento da terapia de grupo...

Applicability of the NANDA-I and Nursing Interventions Classification taxonomies to mental health nursing practice.

PURPOSE: To assess the applicability of the systematization of nursing care (NCS) to outpatient nursing appointments using the NANDA-I and Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) taxonomies. METHODS: Data were collected from 40 patients who had appointments with a nurse who specialized in mental health. Nursing diagnoses (NDs) and interventions were classified using the NANDA-I and NIC taxonomies, respectively. FINDINGS: A total of 14 different NDs were detected (minimum of one and maximum of three per appointment). The most frequently made diagnoses were impaired social interaction (00052), anxiety (00146), and ineffective self-health management (00078). A total of 23 nursing interventions were prescribed (approximately two per appointment), of which the most frequent were socialization enhancement (5100), self-care assistance (1800), and exercise promotion (0200). Significant associations were found between the most frequently detected NDs and the most commonly prescribed interventions (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The NCS through the use of classification systems allows mental health nurses to better identify and assist poorly adjusted patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The assessment of the applicability of the NCS to different areas of health care and types of medical assistance contributes significantly to the quality of nursing care.