Effectiveness of brief cbt for Panic Anxiety Disorder: A Follow-Up Study

How to cite this article Dawar S, Bibi S. Effectiveness of Brief CBT for Panic Anxiety Disorder: A Follow-Up Study. J Gandhara Med Dent Sci. 2025;12(4):31-25. https://doi.org/ Date of Submission: 12-03-2025Date Revised: 17-06-2025 Date Acceptance: 19-06-2025 1Assistant Professor, Bannu Medical College Correspondence 1Sherayub Dawar, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Bannu Medical College +92-333-9368720 [email protected] OBJECTIVES To examine the effectiveness of a brief CBT protocol in reducing panic symptoms and anxiety, and to assess whether therapeutic gains are sustained at follow-up. METHODOLOGY A quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Department of Psychiatry, Khalifa Gulnawaz Teaching Hospital, Bannu, with 60 patients meeting the DSM-5 criteria for PAD, recruited from outpatient psychiatry clinics in Peshawar, Pakistan. Participants underwent a structured six-session CBT program over a period of six weeks. Outcomes were measured using the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) at baseline, post-treatment, and at the three-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA, effect size estimation, and correlation analysis of demographic predictors. RESULTSA significant reduction in panic and anxiety symptoms was observed post-treatment (PDSS: baseline M=15.6, SD=3.2; post-treatment M=7.4, SD=2.9; p<0.001). Improvements were largely maintained at follow-up (M = 8.1, SD = 3.0). Large effect sizes were recorded (Cohen’s d=1.3–1.6). Subgroup analysis indicated that younger participants (18–30 years) and females reported greater symptom reduction compared to older adults and males. Correlation analysis revealed that higher baseline severity was associated with greater improvement (r = 0.41, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION Brief CBT is highly effective in managing panic anxiety disorder and demonstrates sustained benefits at follow-up. Its time-efficient nature makes it particularly useful in low-resource clinical settings.