Abstract
While various psychological interventions, among them Applied Relaxation (AR), are effective in treating patients with panic disorder, there is still room for improvement. Competitive Memory Training (COMET) is a transdiagnostic intervention, slightly different variants of which have proven to be successful in several psychopathological conditions in different patient populations. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of COMET for panic disorder with AR in a group of panic-disordered patients (with or without agoraphobia) in a routine clinical setting. A total of 143 panic-disordered patients were randomized over two (group) treatment conditions: seven sessions of AR, or seven sessions of COMET. Measurements were made at pre- and post intervention. Both treatments resulted in significant amelioration of panic and phobic symptoms; this beneficial effect was relatively large for the primary outcome measure. However, there were no significant differences between the two treatments for any of the outcome measures. COMET and AR appear to be equally effective in treating panic in panic-disordered patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of psychiatric disorders (4th ed.). New York: American Psychiatric Association.
Arntz, A., & van den Hout, M. (1996). Psychological treatments of panic disorder without agoraphobia: cognitive therapy versus applied relaxation. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34, 113–121.
Barlow, D. H., Craske, M. G., Cerny, J., & Klosko, J. (1989). Behavioral treatment of panic disorder. Behavior Therapy, 20, 261–282.
Beck, J. G., Stanley, M. A., Baldwin, L. E., Deagle, E. A., & Averill, P. M. (1994). Comparison of cognitive therapy and relaxation training for panic disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 818–826.
Brewin, C. R. (2006). Understanding cognitive behaviour therapy: A retrieval competition account. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 765–784.
Chambles, D. L., Caputo, G. C., Jasin, S. E., Gracely, E. J., & Williams, C. (1985). The Mobility Inventory for agoraphobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 35–44.
Clark, D. M., Salkovskis, P. M., Hackmann, A., Middleton, H., Anastasiades, P., & Gelder, M. (1994). A comparison of cognitive therapy, applied relaxation, and imipramine in the treatment of panic disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 759–769.
Craske, M. G. (1999). Anxiety disorders. Psychological approaches to theory and treatment. Boulder (Co): Westview Press.
de Beurs, E. (1993). The assessment and treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia. Amsterdam: Thesis Publishers.
de Beurs, E., Smit, J. H., & Comijs, H. C. (2005). De Paniek Opinie Lijst (POL). De betrouwbaarheid en validiteit van een cognitieve maat voor paniekstoornis. (The Panic Appraisal Inventory (PAI). The reliability and validity of a cognitive measure for panic disorder). Gedragstherapie, 38, 141–151.
Ekkers, W. D. J., Korrelboom, K., Huijbrechts, I. P. A. M., Smits, N., Cuijpers, P., & van der Gaag, M. (2011). Competitive Memory Training for treating depression and rumination in depressed older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49, 588–596.
Feske, U., & de Beurs, E. (1997). The panic appraisal inventory: psychometric properties. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 875–882.
Korrelboom, K., de Jong, M., Huijbrechts, I., & Daansen, P. (2009). COMET for treating low self-esteem in patients with eating disorders. A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 974–980.
Korrelboom, C. W., Maarsingh, M., & Huijbrechts, I. (2012). Competitive Memory Training (COMET) for treating low self-esteem in patients with depressive disorders; a randomized clinical trial. Depression and Anxiety, 29, 102–110.
Korrelboom, K., Marissen, M., & van Assendelft, T. (2011). Competitive memory training (COMET) for low self-esteem in patients with personality disorders: A randomized effectiveness study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 39, 1–19.
Korrelboom, K., Peeters, J., Blom, S., & Huijbrechts, I. (2008). Competitive Memory Training voor paniekstoornis (Competitive Memory Training for panic disorder). Directieve therapie, 28, 233–250.
LSMR: Landelijke Stuurgroep Multidisciplinaire Richtlijnontwikkeling in de GGZ. (2003). Multidisciplinaire richtlijn angststoornissen. Richtlijn voor de diagnostiek, behandeling en begeleiding van volwassen cliënten met een angststoornis. (Multidisciplinary Guideline Anxiety Disorders. Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and support for adult clients with an anxiety disorder). Utrecht: Trimbosinstituut.
Mineka, S., & Sutton, J. (2006). Contemporary learning theory perspectives on the etiology of fears and phobias. In M. G. Craske, D. Hermans, & D. Vansteenwegen (Eds.), Fear and learning; from basic processes to clinical implications. Washington D.C: American Psychological Association.
Öst, L.-G. (1987). Applied relaxation: description of a coping technique and review of controlled studies. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 25, 397–409.
Öst, L.-G., & Westling, B. E. (1995). Applied relaxation vs. cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of panic disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 145–158.
Öst, L.-G., Westling, B. E., & Hellstrom, K. (1993). Applied relaxation, exposure in vivo, and cognitive methods in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 383–394.
Peeters, S., Korrelboom, C. W., Voermans, M., & Huijbrechts, I. P. A. M. (2005). Paniekmanagement revisited: ervaringen met een nieuwe groepsbehandeling (Panic control revisited: experiences with a new group treatment). Directieve Therapie, 25, 396–408.
Salkovskis, P. M., & Clark, D. M. (1991). Cognitive therapy for panic disorder. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 5, 214–226.
Sheehan, D. V., Lecrubier, Y., Sheehan, K. H., Amorim, P., Janavs, J., Weiler, E., et al. (1998). The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD 10. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59(20), 22–33.
Telch, M. J., Brouillard, M., Telch, C. F., Agras, W. S., & Taylor, C. B. (1989). Role of cognitive appraisal in panic-related avoidance. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 27, 373–383.
van der Gaag, M., van Oosterhout, B., Daalman, K., Sommer, I. E., & Korrelboom, C. W. (2012). Initial evaluation of the effects of competitive memory training (COMET) on depression in schizophrenia-spectrum patients with persistent auditory verbal hallucinations: A randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51, 158–171.
van Vliet, I. M., Leroy, H., & van Megen, H. J. G. M. (2000). M.I.N.I Plus. M.I.N.I. Internationaal Neuropsychiatrisch Interview. Nederlandse versie, 5.0.0. (M.I.N.I. Plus. M.I.N.I. International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Dutch version, 5.0.0). Retrieved from www.tijdschriftvoorpsychiatrie.nl/measuringinstruments.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Korrelboom, K., Peeters, S., Blom, S. et al. Competitive Memory Training (COMET) for Panic and Applied Relaxation (AR) Are Equally Effective in the Treatment of Panic in Panic-Disordered Patients. J Contemp Psychother 44, 183–190 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-013-9259-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-013-9259-3