Browsing by Author "Uhlenhuth, E.H. (7006065287)"

[No abstract available]

To make a dimensional assessment of personality in individuals with pathological anxiety, the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) was administered to 32 patients with panic disorder (PD) and 49 patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The most striking-findings were a substantially increased score on the harm avoidance dimension in both groups of patients, and a lack of significant differences between the TPQ scores in patients with PD and GAD. The former finding suggests that higher levels,of harm avoidance may be common to (although not necessarily specific for) various types of anxiety disorders. The latter finding is in agreement with the findings that PD and GAD do not differ significantly with respect to the associated personality disorder diagnoses, which may further cast a doubt on the validity of the distinction between PD and GAD.

To make a dimensional assessment of personality in individuals with pathological anxiety, the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) was administered to 32 patients with panic disorder (PD) and 49 patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The most striking-findings were a substantially increased score on the harm avoidance dimension in both groups of patients, and a lack of significant differences between the TPQ scores in patients with PD and GAD. The former finding suggests that higher levels,of harm avoidance may be common to (although not necessarily specific for) various types of anxiety disorders. The latter finding is in agreement with the findings that PD and GAD do not differ significantly with respect to the associated personality disorder diagnoses, which may further cast a doubt on the validity of the distinction between PD and GAD.

[No abstract available]

Forty-eight patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) were administered the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), and then they were interviewed by the means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders (SCID-II). Agreement between the two instruments about absence of personality disorder (PD) was found in 30 patients. There were only 3 patients who were diagnosed with a PD on the basis of the TPQ scores but did not receive a SCID-II diagnosis of PD. The TPQ appears to have high sensitivity in detecting personality disorders (PDs) among GAD patients and it might be a useful screening instrument for PDs in patients with anxiety disorders in general. The paper also compares results of the two approaches to PD assessment in GAD patients: dimensional, as embodied in the TPQ; and categorical, as represented by the SCID-II and DSM-III-R.

Forty-eight patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) were administered the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), and then they were interviewed by the means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders (SCID-II). Agreement between the two instruments about absence of personality disorder (PD) was found in 30 patients. There were only 3 patients who were diagnosed with a PD on the basis of the TPQ scores but did not receive a SCID-II diagnosis of PD. The TPQ appears to have high sensitivity in detecting personality disorders (PDs) among GAD patients and it might be a useful screening instrument for PDs in patients with anxiety disorders in general. The paper also compares results of the two approaches to PD assessment in GAD patients: dimensional, as embodied in the TPQ; and categorical, as represented by the SCID-II and DSM-III-R.

The main objective of this report was to identify patient characteristics that led psychiatrists in an academic anxiety disorders clinic to make a decision about intensive treatment of patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) alone, CBT plus a high-potency benzodiazepine (CBT+BZ) or CBT combined with BZ and an antidepressant, fluoxetine (CBT+BZ+AD). On the basis of their clinical judgment and collaborative negotiation with the patient, psychiatrists chose one of the three treatment modalities for 102 PDA outpatients. Two stepwise logistic regressions were performed to explore pre-treatment patient characteristics the psychiatrists may have considered in choosing among these treatments. One regression examined the decision to add BZ to CBT, while the other examined the decision to add AD to CBT+BZ. Psychiatrists generally used combination treatments in patients with more severe PDA. CBT alone was a more likely choice for dominant anxiety-related cognitive phenomena. Patients with prominent panic attacks and somatic symptoms were more likely to be treated with CBT+BZ, while those who also had significant depressive symptoms and higher disability levels were more likely to receive CBT+BZ+AD. Patients in all three treatment groups showed significant reduction in symptoms during intensive treatment and reached similar end states. In a clinic setting where CBT is accepted as the basic treatment for PDA, psychiatrists added BZ to control prominent panic symptoms and added AD to elevate depressed mood and help cope with marked disability. These choices appear rational and resulted in substantial clinical improvement at the end of intensive treatment in the clinic. © 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The main objective of this report was to identify patient characteristics that led psychiatrists in an academic anxiety disorders clinic to make a decision about intensive treatment of patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) alone, CBT plus a high-potency benzodiazepine (CBT+BZ) or CBT combined with BZ and an antidepressant, fluoxetine (CBT+BZ+AD). On the basis of their clinical judgment and collaborative negotiation with the patient, psychiatrists chose one of the three treatment modalities for 102 PDA outpatients. Two stepwise logistic regressions were performed to explore pre-treatment patient characteristics the psychiatrists may have considered in choosing among these treatments. One regression examined the decision to add BZ to CBT, while the other examined the decision to add AD to CBT+BZ. Psychiatrists generally used combination treatments in patients with more severe PDA. CBT alone was a more likely choice for dominant anxiety-related cognitive phenomena. Patients with prominent panic attacks and somatic symptoms were more likely to be treated with CBT+BZ, while those who also had significant depressive symptoms and higher disability levels were more likely to receive CBT+BZ+AD. Patients in all three treatment groups showed significant reduction in symptoms during intensive treatment and reached similar end states. In a clinic setting where CBT is accepted as the basic treatment for PDA, psychiatrists added BZ to control prominent panic symptoms and added AD to elevate depressed mood and help cope with marked disability. These choices appear rational and resulted in substantial clinical improvement at the end of intensive treatment in the clinic. © 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.