EMDR versus CBT in treatment of panic disorders with or without agoraphobia: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Several studies have shown that CBT is an effective treatment method to patients with a panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Nevertheless, there is a group of patients who need additional treatment after CBT, especially after a long follow-up period. EMDR has already been proved to be an effective treatment method to patients with PTSD and trauma’s. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of EMDR in treatment of a panic disorder with or without agoraphobia is still unclear, while there are several reasons why EMDR could be an effective treatment method to this patient group. A first panic attack is traumatizing to many patients, because it occurs suddenly, it can seem life threatening and patients feel like they lose control. A first panic attack may cause a conditioned fear to a next panic attack. This will be the first study to compare EMDR with CBT in the treatment of panic disorders with or without agoraphobia.

1. The first hypothesis is that treatment of panic disorders with or without agoraphobia with EMDR as well as with CBT will lead to symptom reduction. This symptom reduction is expected to be larger in the EMDR treatment group than in the CBT treatment group, when a patient still suffers from traumatic memories in the present;

2. The second hypothesis is that treatment of panic disorders with or without agoraphobia with EMDR as well as with CBT will lead to an increase of quality of life. This increase of quality of life is expected to be larger in the EMDR treatment group than in the CBT treatment group, when a patient still suffers from traumatic memories in the present.

1. Baseline measurement: Before treatment;

2. Second measurement: After treatment;

3. third measurement: Three months after completion of treatment;

4. Fourth measurement: One year after third measurement.

Two forms of psychotherapy will be compared: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Patients are randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. In both groups, there is one treatment session of 45 to 60 minutes per week for thirteen consecutive weeks. All interventions will be delivered by qualified therapists.