W S Agras

Group cognitive-behavioral therapy and group interpersonal psychotherapy for the nonpurging bulimic individual : a controlled comparison

Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) and group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for binge eating. Fifty-six women with nonpurging bulimia were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: CBT, IPT, or a wait-list control (WL). Treatment was administered in small groups that met for 16 weekly sessions. At posttreatment, both group CBT and group IPT treatment conditions showed significant improvement in reducing binge eating, whereas the WL condition did not. Binge eating remained significantly below baseline levels for both treatment conditions at 6-month and 1-year follow-ups. These data support the central role of both eating behavior and interpersonal factors in the understanding and treatment of bulimia.

Group cognitive-behavioral treatment for the nonpurging bulimic: an initial evaluation.

This study tested the initial effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for binge eating in Ss who do not purge. Forty-four female binge eaters were randomized to either cognitive-behavioral treatment (CB) or a waiting-list (WL) control. Treatment was administered in small groups that met for 10 weekly sessions. At posttreatment a significant difference was found, with 79% of CB Ss reporting abstinence from binge eating and a 94% decrease in binge eating compared with a nonsignificant reduction (9%) in binge eating and zero abstinence rate in WL Ss. Following the posttest assessment, WL Ss were treated and evidenced an 85% reduction in binge episodes and a 73% abstinence rate. Binge eating significantly increased at 10-week follow-up for initially treated Ss; however, the frequency remained significantly improved compared with baseline levels.

Skin conductance habituation in panic disorder patients

Skin conductance habituation was compared between 38 patients meeting DSM-III criteria for Panic Disorder and 29 normal controls. Approximately half of each group was randomly assigned to be given 100 dB SPL tones and the other half 75 dB tones. All indices pointed to slowed habituation in patients compared with normals: number of trials to response habituation, total number of responses, and slope of decline of skin conductance level. Patient-normal differences were not significantly larger for 100 dB than for 75 dB. In addition, patients compared with normals had more nonspecific fluctuations, higher skin conductance levels, and a shorter response latency to the first stimulus. Stepwise discriminant analyses classified patients and normals better in the 100 dB than in the 75 dB condition, and showed that the various skin conductancy variables were largely redundant at the higher intensity.

Cardiovascular and symptomatic reduction effects of alprazolam and imipramine in patients with panic disorder: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Seventy-nine patients with panic disorder were randomized to an 8-week double-blind treatment with alprazolam, imipramine, or placebo. Patients kept daily records of panic attacks, activity, anxiety, sleep, and medication use. Weekly measures of anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, fears, avoidance, disability, and improvement were obtained. All patients underwent a symptom-limited exercise treadmill and other cardiovascular measures. By physician and patient global assessment, patients receiving alprazolam or imipramine were significantly better than patients on placebo. The alprazolam effects were apparent by week 1; the imipramine effects by week 4. All groups showed significant reductions in anxiety, depression, somatic measures, and panic attack frequency. At 8 weeks, patients in the alprazolam group reported significantly less fear than patients in the other two groups. Subjects in the imipramine group showed a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure.