Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia in Videoconference: Preliminary Results

Many studies have shown the feasibility of psychiatric consultation in telehealth, and some have addressed the effectiveness of telepsychotherapy. However, outcome studies on telepsychiatry essentially amount to a few case studies, none of which have used an empirically validated psychosocial treatment to treat a specific mental disorder. This article presents the preliminary results of an outcome study on the effectiveness of telepsychotherapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia. Participants received 12 sessions of cognitive-behavior therapy, which is an empirically validated treatment for panic disorder with agoraphobia. The treatment was delivered via videoconference by trained therapists according to a standardized treatment manual. The remote site was located at 130 km north of the local site and both were linked by six ISDN lines. Telepsychotherapy demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvements on measures of target symptoms (frequency, of panic attacks, panic apprehension, severity of panic disorder, perceived self-efficacy) and measures of global functioning (trait anxiety, general improvement). Of interest was the fact that a very good therapeutic alliance was built after only the first telepsychotherapy session. Factors that may reduce the effectiveness of telepsychotherapy are discussed.