Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated essential modifications to the administration of psychotherapy for patients with panic disorder (PD) through the increased use of videoconferencing. However, the effect of this change on treatment efficacy remains unclear. The current study is a long-term (1.5 ...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Cogent Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2402603 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850108327189544960 |
|---|---|
| author | Kay Morten Hjelle Thorstein Olsen Eide Anders Lillevik Thorsen Gerd Kvale Kristen Hagen Michael G. Wheaton Thröstur Björgvinsson Bjarne Hansen |
| author_facet | Kay Morten Hjelle Thorstein Olsen Eide Anders Lillevik Thorsen Gerd Kvale Kristen Hagen Michael G. Wheaton Thröstur Björgvinsson Bjarne Hansen |
| author_sort | Kay Morten Hjelle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated essential modifications to the administration of psychotherapy for patients with panic disorder (PD) through the increased use of videoconferencing. However, the effect of this change on treatment efficacy remains unclear. The current study is a long-term (1.5 years) investigation of the Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT) for PD delivered as a combination of videoconferencing and face-to-face therapy. This study reported the long-term outcomes of B4DT for PD when delivered in a hybrid format. The B4DT includes multiple components delivered over four consecutive days. As the pandemic unfolded, B4DT was adapted to include different levels of in-person versus videoconference delivery, depending on COVID-19 infection rates and public health recommendations. Outcome measures included clinician-rated illness severity on the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) and patient-rated symptoms of PD, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety, and depression. Follow-up treatment, work status, and current medications were assessed. We used multilevel models to estimate whether clinical improvement was maintained over time. Treatment effects achieved at three months were maintained at the 1.5-year follow-up. Patients who completed the PDSS scored M = 14.78 (SD = 3.37) before treatment, M = 5.88 (5.28) at the three-month follow-up (d = 2.01), and M = 5.44 (SD = 5.12) at the long-term follow-up (d = 2.15). The reduction in generalized anxiety and depression symptoms was maintained over time. The current study suggests that B4DT can be delivered successfully in a combination of face-to-face and videoconference therapy sessions. Moreover, long-term effects are maintained, even during the challenging circumstances of the pandemic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a8a465614d0d45468087db8235c9a02f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2331-1908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a8a465614d0d45468087db8235c9a02f2025-08-20T02:38:23ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Psychology2331-19082024-12-0111110.1080/23311908.2024.2402603Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemicKay Morten Hjelle0Thorstein Olsen Eide1Anders Lillevik Thorsen2Gerd Kvale3Kristen Hagen4Michael G. Wheaton5Thröstur Björgvinsson6Bjarne Hansen7Bergen Center for Brain Plasticity, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayBergen Center for Brain Plasticity, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayBergen Center for Brain Plasticity, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayBergen Center for Brain Plasticity, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayBergen Center for Brain Plasticity, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, Barnard College, New York, NY, USAMcLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USABergen Center for Brain Plasticity, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayThe COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated essential modifications to the administration of psychotherapy for patients with panic disorder (PD) through the increased use of videoconferencing. However, the effect of this change on treatment efficacy remains unclear. The current study is a long-term (1.5 years) investigation of the Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT) for PD delivered as a combination of videoconferencing and face-to-face therapy. This study reported the long-term outcomes of B4DT for PD when delivered in a hybrid format. The B4DT includes multiple components delivered over four consecutive days. As the pandemic unfolded, B4DT was adapted to include different levels of in-person versus videoconference delivery, depending on COVID-19 infection rates and public health recommendations. Outcome measures included clinician-rated illness severity on the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) and patient-rated symptoms of PD, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety, and depression. Follow-up treatment, work status, and current medications were assessed. We used multilevel models to estimate whether clinical improvement was maintained over time. Treatment effects achieved at three months were maintained at the 1.5-year follow-up. Patients who completed the PDSS scored M = 14.78 (SD = 3.37) before treatment, M = 5.88 (5.28) at the three-month follow-up (d = 2.01), and M = 5.44 (SD = 5.12) at the long-term follow-up (d = 2.15). The reduction in generalized anxiety and depression symptoms was maintained over time. The current study suggests that B4DT can be delivered successfully in a combination of face-to-face and videoconference therapy sessions. Moreover, long-term effects are maintained, even during the challenging circumstances of the pandemic.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2402603Panic disorderconcentrated treatmentexposurelong-termB4DTCBT |
| spellingShingle | Kay Morten Hjelle Thorstein Olsen Eide Anders Lillevik Thorsen Gerd Kvale Kristen Hagen Michael G. Wheaton Thröstur Björgvinsson Bjarne Hansen Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic Cogent Psychology Panic disorder concentrated treatment exposure long-term B4DT CBT |
| title | Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Long-term follow-up of the Bergen 4-day treatment for panic disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | long term follow up of the bergen 4 day treatment for panic disorder during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Panic disorder concentrated treatment exposure long-term B4DT CBT |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2402603 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kaymortenhjelle longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT thorsteinolseneide longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT anderslillevikthorsen longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT gerdkvale longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT kristenhagen longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT michaelgwheaton longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT throsturbjorgvinsson longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic AT bjarnehansen longtermfollowupofthebergen4daytreatmentforpanicdisorderduringthecovid19pandemic |