Intensive weekend group treatment for panic disorder and its impact on co-occurring PTSD: A pilot study

• Cognitive behavioral treatments for panic are feasible to deliver in intensive formats.
• Brief and intensive treatments for panic can produce rapid symptom improvement.
• Patients reported high satisfaction with brief treatment format.
• Intensive cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic may improve PTSD symptoms.
• Innovative models of mental health care delivery can overcome treatment barriers.

This pilot study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of delivering an intensive weekend group treatment for panic disorder (PD) to Veterans returning from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The treatment program lasted 6 h each day and was delivered by two experienced therapists. Patients received core components of panic treatment, including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and interoceptive exposure. The interoceptive exposure exercises directly targeted anxiety sensitivity, a psychological construct also implicated in the maintenance of PTSD. Eighty-nine percent of patients who expressed interest in the treatment attended a baseline evaluation, and 63% of those who were study eligible initiated treatment. Treatment retention was high, with all 10 patients who initiated treatment completing the program. Veterans reported finding the treatment and delivery format highly acceptable and reported high levels of satisfaction. Panic symptoms improved significantly following the treatment and were maintained at a 7-month follow-up, with 71.4% of the sample reporting being panic free. Co-occurring PTSD symptoms also improved along with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Preliminary findings suggest that brief and intensive group treatments for PD/PTSD are a promising method of delivering cognitive behavioral therapy that may rapidly improve symptoms. This innovative treatment delivery format also may be a cost-effective way of increasing treatment engagement through increased access to quality care.