A comparison between the Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and a Combination of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Medication in Patients With Improved Panic Attacks from the Covid-19

Background and Objective: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used as one of the main treatments for panic disorder, yet fewer people with panic disorder receive medication-based treatment. The present study aimed to determine the difference between the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication in patients with panic attacks who have recovered from Covid-19 in Ramsar, Iran. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included patients who were referred to hospitals and medical centers in Ramsar in 2022. A total of 30 cases were randomly selected using the Albanian Panic and Phobia Questionnaire and structural clinical interview. One group received 12 sessions of CBT, one group received a combination of medication and CBT, and the other group received no training. The obtained data were analyzed using the statistical methods of univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The significant difference in the post-test between the CBT and the control group (P<0.001) in the variable of the combination of CBT and medication with the control group, there is a significant difference in the post-test (P<0.001). The results of the post hoc test demonstrated that the effectiveness of the combination of CBT and medication was significantly higher than that of the CBT and the control group (P<0.001(. Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of this study, combined CBT and medication in the short term effectively improved and reduced panic symptoms of patients with panic disorder.