Christina Hardway

Trajectories of Change Across Outcomes in Intensive Treatment for Adolescent Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

Much remains to be learned about typical and individual growth trajectories across treatment for adolescent panic disorder with and without agoraphobia and about critical treatment points associated with key changes. The present study examined the rate and shape of change across an 8-day intensive cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescent panic disorder with and without agoraphobia (N = 56). Participants ranged in age from 12 to 17 (M = 15.14, SD = 1.70; 58.9% female, 78.6% Caucasian). Multilevel modeling evaluated within-treatment linear and nonlinear changes across three treatment outcomes: panic severity, fear, and avoidance. Overall panic severity showed linear change, decreasing throughout treatment. In contrast, fear and avoidance ratings both showed cubic change, peaking slightly at the first session of treatment, starting to decrease at the second session of treatment, and with large gains continuing then plateauing at the fourth session. Findings are considered with regard to the extent to which they may elucidate critical treatment components and sessions for adolescents with panic disorder with and without agoraphobia.

Intensive Treatments for Adolescents with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia: Helping Youth Move beyond Avoidance

Panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) contributes to significant impairment and distress in adolescence, particularly when left untreated. Cognitive behavioral treatment of panic disorder in adolescents has now been developed and delivered in a traditional once per week format, and has also recently been adapted for delivery in an intensive format delivered over eight consecutive days. We provide a brief review of research efforts to date on the development and evaluation of intensive treatments for panic disorder in adolescence. Recent studies suggest that the intensive, eight-day treatment approach is associated with comparable reductions in PDA symptoms as compared to the once-weekly treatment and shows promise for reducing the impairing symptoms of PDA and its comorbid conditions. Ongoing research and future directions to further this body of work will be discussed.

A Model and Test of Individual and Organization Factors Influencing Individual Adaptation to Change

This study analyzed the antecedents and outcomes of individual adaptation to a changing work environment. We developed and tested a model of both individual factors and organizational factors affecting individual responses to change. We hypothesized that individuals reporting higher levels of the antecedent variables would also report higher levels of adaptability. We also hypothesized better adaptors would perceive better work outcomes. The model was tested in a field study of 169 participants across four different organizations experiencing varying changes. Results indicated participation, role clarity, and optimism were positively related to adaptability. Further, we found that better adaptors were more satisfied with their jobs, were less likely to quit the organization, and perceived higher performance after the change. Change managers can take heart in that most of the variables associated with successful adaptation are under the organizations influence, so facilitating change is not an impossible task.

Online and Classroom Simulations: Does Video Use Inspire Interest, Comprehensibility, or Achieve Learning Outcomes?

This study examined whether a video illustration of a complex phenomenon promoted learner interest, perceived comprehensibility, and better learning in online- and classroom-based contexts. In the first study, undergraduate participants (N = 101) viewed learning materials which contained a video only, a video and textual explanation, or a textual explanation alone. Participants rated the interestingness and comprehensibility of the instructional materials and completed a learning outcomes test. The second study (N = 56) included the same learning materials in a classroom context. The video presentation of the material did not improve learning outcomes, in either context. Participants in the computer-delivered context who only viewed the text learned the material better than those who had viewed the video. In the classroom-delivered context, the video neither helped nor hurt the learning outcomes, but it also did not significantly boost learners’ interest. Taken together, findings from the present study indicate potential limited utility of including video material within these instructional contexts.