Prevention of panic disorder

The goal of this study was to empirically test a prevention program for panic disorder. Participants who had experienced at least 1 panic attack in the last 12 months and at least moderate anxiety sensitivity, but did not meet criteria for panic disorder, were randomly assigned to either a 1-day prevention workshop group or a wait-list control group. Participants were followed for 6 months. Relative to the wait-list control, workshop participants were less likely to develop panic disorder and reported significantly more improvement in panic attacks and avoidance of social situations. Satisfaction with the workshop predicted outcome 6 months later. These findings suggest that prevention may be a viable option for panic disorder, and one that warrants further development.