Abstract
The purpose of this article is to examine the effects of an educational program concerning symptoms of panic disorder and procedure of exposure for patients with Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia on the effectiveness of the exposure. In the first study, twelve patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia were asked to rate their self-efficacy on controlling symptoms before and after the patient education, after problems on conducting self-exposure were made clear by the preliminary questionnaire. Results showed that the self-efficacy and motivation to conduct exposure increased after the patient education. In the second study, effects of patient education on the treatment effectiveness of the exposure were investigated by assessing self-efficacy, anxiety, and depressive mood before and after the exposure. Results revealed that patients who received the educational program showed higher self-efficacy on conducting exposure and on controlling symptoms than patients who did not receive the educational program. Furthermore, patients who received patient education showed lower anxiety and depressive mood after exposure. Finally, the effects and the role of the educational program were discussed within the theoretical framework of the cognitive behavior therapy.
