Predictors of Dropout From Cognitive-Behavioral Group Treatment for Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia: An Exploratory Study
Abstract
Panic disorder and agoraphobia are both characterized by avoidance behaviors, which are known correlates of treatment discontinuation. The aim of this exploratory study is to distinguish the profile of participants suffering from panic disorder with agoraphobia that complete treatment from those who discontinue therapy by assessing four categories of predictor variables: the severity of the disorder, sociodemographic variables, participants' expectations, and dyadic adjustment. The sample included 77 individuals diagnosed with panic disorder with agoraphobia who completed a series of questionnaires and participated in a cognitive-behavioral group therapy consisting of 14 weekly sessions. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed the importance of anxiety, prognosis, and role expectations as well as some individual variables as predictors of therapeutic dropout, either before or during treatment. Among the most common reasons given by the 29 participants who discontinued therapy were scheduling conflicts, dissatisfaction with treatment, and conflicts with their marital partner. These results suggest that expectations and dyadic relationships have an impact on therapeutic discontinuation. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Panic disorder has high comorbidity with agoraphobia, with agoraphobic symptoms estimated to affect between 33% and 50% of patients with panic disorder.
“PD has a high comorbid- ity with agoraphobia disorder, with agoraphobic symptoms estimated to affect between 33% and 50% of patients with PD.”
From Enhancing In Vivo Exposure in the Treatment of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia Using Location-Based Technologies: A Case Study (2020) · cites this paper as Bélanger et al., 2017
Cites
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“…a client unilaterally discontinues an intervention prior to recovering from the problems that led him or her to seek out treatment and/ or before completing the intervention’s specified protocol (Garfield, 1994; Hatchett & Park, 2003; Swift, Callahan, & Levine, 2009; Swift & Greenberg, 2012, 2014).”
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“In addition, they emphasize the need to analyze the predictors of attrition at different times during the therapeutic process to guide future studies and the development of procedures designed to increase treatment adherence (Edlund et al., 2002; Grilo et al., 1998).”
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“Finally, research indicates that dyadic variables, specifically those associated with romantic relationships, might play a role in treatment dropout (Bélanger et al., 2008; El-Baalbaki et al., 2010; Marcaurelle et al., 2005).”
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Miralles, I., Granell, C., García-Palacios, A., Castilla, D., González-Pérez, A., Casteleyn, S., & Bretón-López, J. (2020) · Clinical Case Studies · doi:10.1177/1534650119892900 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
- Authors
- Bélanger, C., Courchesne, C., Leduc, A. G., Dugal, C., El-Baalbaki, G., Marchand, A., Godbout, N., Marcaurelle, R., & Perreault, M.
- Affiliations
- Université du Québec à Montréal (CA)
- University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada
- Corresponding author
- Bélanger, Claude
- Venue
- Behavior Modification
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2016-07-27
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 113-140
- ISSN
- 0145-4455 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-4167
- OpenAlex
- W2474854636
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavior Modification (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
- Keywords
- panic disorder with agoraphobia, treatment discontinuation, group cognitive behavioral therapy, predictors of treatment discontinuation, avoidance behavior, role expectations, dyadic adjustment, marital conflict, treatment expectations, prognosis, anxiety levels, sociodemographic factors
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