Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With Panic Control Treatment for Adolescents With Panic Disorder

July 17, 2026 updated by: Boston University Charles River Campus

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Panic in Adolescence

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy with a panic control treatment component in treating adolescents with panic disorder.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

More than 3 million people in the United States will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives. A panic attack occurs when a person experiences an intense feeling of sudden fear as well as physical sensations of breathlessness, rapid heart beat, and dizziness. Panic disorder, which is characterized by reoccurring panic attacks, often develops during childhood or adolescence and, if left untreated, can interfere with a child's normal development, relationships, school work, and psychological well-being. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a panic control treatment (PCT) component is a type of psychotherapy that teaches new ways to control anxiety or panic attacks. It has been found to be effective in treating adults with panic disorder. However, more research is needed to determine if CBT with PCT, when adapted specifically for adolescents, is also effective in treating adolescents with panic disorder. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of CBT with a PCT component in treating adolescents with panic disorder.

Participation in this study will last up to 18 months. All participants will first undergo baseline assessments that will include a behavioral/psychological assessment while wearing a heart-rate monitoring device; questionnaires relating to experiences of anxiety, fear, and depression; and parent and child clinical interviews. Participants will then be assigned randomly to receive either immediate CBT with PCT or delayed CBT with PCT, which will occur after a 12-week waitlist period. CBT with PCT for all participants will include 11 weekly individual sessions, lasting 60 minutes each. During sessions, participants will learn specifically designed ways for adolescents to reduce or overcome panic attacks. Throughout treatment, participants will keep daily records of their anxiety and will complete self-monitoring forms to monitor panic attacks. During the 12-week waitlist period, the waitlist group participants will complete the same daily records and self-monitoring forms. The waitlist group participants will also meet with a therapist once every other week to discuss the nature of any panic attacks or address any concerns. Once all 12 weeks have passed, they will begin CBT with PCT. All participants will repeat the baseline assessments at Months 3, 6, and 12 after treatment.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

25

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Boston University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

12 years to 17 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Meets DSM-IV criteria for principal diagnosis of panic disorder or panic disorder with agoraphobia prior to treatment
  • If on medication, must undergo a 1-month stabilization period for benzodiazepines or 3-month stabilization period for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or tricyclics before study entry

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Positive diagnosis of schizophrenia, pervasive developmental disorder, organic brain syndrome, or mental retardation
  • Current suicidal ideation
  • Refusal of parent to accept random assignment to treatment condition
  • Refusal of parent or adolescent to accept stabilization of medication

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 1
Participants will receive cognitive behavioral therapy with panic control treatment.
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with panic control treatment (PCT) for adolescents
CBT with PCT treatment will consist of 11 weekly sessions that are designed to be developmentally appropriate for a younger population. The primary aim of this treatment will be to directly influence three aspects of panic attacks and general anxiety: the cognitive/misinterpretational aspect, the hyperventilatory response, and the conditioned reactions to physical sensations. Throughout treatment, participants will keep daily records of their anxiety and will complete self-monitoring forms to monitor panic attacks.
Active Comparator: 2
Participants will receive cognitive behavioral therapy with panic control treatment after a 12-week waitlist period.
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with panic control treatment (PCT) for adolescents
CBT with PCT treatment will consist of 11 weekly sessions that are designed to be developmentally appropriate for a younger population. The primary aim of this treatment will be to directly influence three aspects of panic attacks and general anxiety: the cognitive/misinterpretational aspect, the hyperventilatory response, and the conditioned reactions to physical sensations. Throughout treatment, participants will keep daily records of their anxiety and will complete self-monitoring forms to monitor panic attacks.
Behavioral: Waitlist control
During the 12-week waitlist period, participants will keep daily records of their anxiety and will complete self-monitoring forms to monitor panic attacks. Participants will also meet with a therapist every other week to discuss the nature of any panic attacks or address any concerns.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-Child and Parent Versions: Clinical Severity Rating, Agoraphobia Ratings, Weekly Panic Attack Frequency Scores, and Monthly Panic Attack Frequency Scores
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Weekly Record of Anxiety and Depression (WRAD)
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
The Panic Attack Record (PAR)
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
The Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI)
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Children's Depression Inventory (CDI)
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
The Fear Survey Schedule for Children - Revised
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Behavioral Approach Test (BAT)
Time Frame: Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up
Measured at pretreatment; post-treatment; and Months 3, 6, and 12 of follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Boston University Charles River Campus

Collaborators

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Sarah Mattis, PhD, Boston University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

July 1, 1998

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2004

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2004

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 24, 2008

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 24, 2008

First Posted (Estimated)

June 26, 2008

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 17, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • R29MH058641 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • DSIR CT-S

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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