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Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 2000. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 1999. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 43 p. : ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 30-36).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Rhode Island, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-179).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2003. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-101).

This thesis investigates the experience of agoraphobia among one hundred research participants by focusing on how social interactions contribute to the onset, the unmanaged symptoms stage, and the managed symptoms stage of this anxiety disorder. The study investigates how social interactions such as family upbringings, familial stressful events, one-off and clusters of traumatic events and accumulated stressful events can contribute to the onset of agoraphobia. It examines how research participants' social interactions during their primary and secondary school years, youth, everyday life, travel, marriage/intimate relationships, parenting, post secondary education and employment were affected during the unmanaged symptom stage of agoraphobia. Participants' experiences of the public perception of agoraphobia, stigma and discrimination, coming out experiences and family and friends' reaction to agoraphobia are also explored. The third stage of the study examines social interactions that hinder or promote the management of agoraphobia. The former are found to include hiding panic attacks, making excuses, using flawed personal coping mechanisms and alcohol. Social interactions that were found to assist in the management of agoraphobia include labelling and learning about the mental illness from others, using companions in public places and situations, and seeking help from knowledgeable health professionals. Other forms of interaction that helped with management included participants' usage of Internet chat-rooms and websites as well as the discovery of faith and spiritual experience. Finally the study investigates research participants' changed social interactions following their emergence from the shadow of agoraphobia.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1993. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-84). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2008. / "August, 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-112). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

The present study was designed to test the efficacy of a bibliotherapy-relapse prevention (BT-RP) program for panic attacks in which the active BT-RP condition was compared to a waiting-list control condition. Prior to the administration of the six-month BT-RP program, all participants completed an initial BT intervention (Febbraro, 1997) based on the book Coping with Panic (Clum, 1990). The BT-RP program was designed to: (a) review major components of the initial intervention; (b) increase practice of panic coping skills and therapeutic self-exposure; (c) enhance social support for panic recovery; (d) teach cognitive restructuring skills related to relapse prevention; (e) provide a protocol to follow in the event of a setback; and (f) reduce overall levels of stress. Brief monthly phone contacts were included in the BT-RP condition. Thirty-six participants, 17 in the BT-RP condition and 19 in the WL control condition, completed the study. A 2 (Treatment condition: BT-RP versus WL control) X 2 (Time: Pre-BT-RP assessment versus Post-BT-RP assessment) mixed-model research design was used to analyze the results. Results indicted significant reductions from pre- to post-treatment in the BT-RP condition for panic cognitions, anticipatory anxiety, agoraphobic avoidance, and depression, but not in the WL condition. When statistically controlling for initial levels of these variables via analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), significant post-treatment differences in the expected direction emerged for these four dependent measure and for state anxiety. In addition, the BT-RP group reported significantly fewer panic attacks during the six-month course of the treatment trial than the WL control group on a measure of retrospective recall of full-blown panic attacks. There was also a statistically significant proportional between-group difference in terms of clinically significant improvement for full-blown panic attacks and agoraphobic avoidance in favor of the BT-RP group. However, no significant between-group differences emerged for the maintenance of initial treatment gains for panic frequency, panic symptoms, panic cognitions, anticipatory anxiety, or agoraphobic avoidance. Results of the present study are discussed in the framework of benefits of the present BT-RP program, limitations of the findings, recommendations for future research in this area, and implications for BT treatments in general. / Ph. D.

Treatment outcome studies investigating potential treatments for panic disorder invariably begin with a lengthy assessment designed to determine whether a potential subject meets criteria for the disorder. Through the process of assessment, subject are usually given some form of feedback about their condition, if only to tell them they meet criteria to enter the study. Assessment and feedback are thought to have therapeutic effects and empirical evidence is beginning to document this (Bien, Miller, & Tonigan, 1993; Finn & Tonsager, 1992). To date, there have been no studies that investigate the effects of assessment plus feedback or assessment alone on individuals with panic attacks. This study investigated whether assessment or assessment plus feedback produced any differential effects on panic attack sufferers. Seventy participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) assessment with mailed feedback (n=17); 2) assessment with face-to-face feedback (n=14); 3) assessment with no feedback (n=19); and 4) no assessment or feedback (n=20). Assessment consisted of completing a composite self-report instrument that asks about frequency of panic attacks and panic-related symptomatology. Feedback was standardized and computer generated but individualized based on scores on the assessment measure. All groups completed the outcome measures and between group differences were examined. No statistically significant differences were found between these four groups on any dependent measure. However, for a smaller subset of participants (N=35) who had at least one full panic attack at pre-assessment, a significant reduction in frequency of combined (full plus limited-symptom) panic attacks was seen pre to post, F(1,32)=7.47, p<.01, with a marginally significant two-way interaction of Time and Condition, F(2,32)=3.12, p<.06. Basically, both feedback groups showed a reduction in panic attacks while the assessment only condition remained the same. / Master of Science