Moderately strong beliefs about self-control of panic disorder congruent with the cognitive intervention provided seem to moderate treatment effectiveness. They did not find a differential LOC effect for antidepressant treatment. Using the Regression Trunk Approach the researchers found that locus of control orientation (LOC) predicted the effectiveness of cognitive therapy.

A group of Dutch investigators have published a study in the May issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, which unravels the characteristics of patients who are more likely to reply to drug treatment in panic disorder.

Those patients with a medium internal LOC who received cognitive therapy performed significantly better than all patients who received a placebo pill on 8 of the 10 outcome variables. Beliefs about controllability were measured with the Multidimensional Anxiety Locus of Control Scale measuring an internal, chance, therapist and medication locus of control. The researchers investigated whether similarity within patients’ beliefs about controllability of a panic disorder and the type of treatment provided predicted outcomes.

Beliefs about the controllability of a disorder may be relevant in the causation, maintenance and treatment of disorders.

Original post by Anxiety Insights