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L E Baldwin

Publications and source records attributed to L E Baldwin.

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Patterns of change during cognitive behavioral treatment for panic disorder.

The present investigation examined patterns of change in basic features of panic and anxiety during cognitive behavioral treatment for panic disorder. Data were collected in the context of a study comparing the efficacy of cognitive therapy (CT) and relaxation training, both administered without exposure-based treatments of any kind. Thirty-six panic disorder patients completed 10 weeks of either CT or relaxation training. Weekly measures of panic frequency, state and trait anxiety, and associated fears were obtained. Data were examined using both multivariate techniques (which conceptualize change as incremental) and analysis of response slopes (wherein change is conceptualized as continuous). Results indicated that during the first half of treatment, relaxation training led to greater reductions in state and trait anxiety and agoraphobic fear, whereas CT demonstrated a slight advantage on change in panic frequency. During the second half of treatment, CT produced faster reductions in state anxiety and agoraphobic fears. Over the entire treatment course, CT conferred an advantage in rate of change in social fears. The data provide support for the utility of a more process-oriented approach to the examination of treatment effects.

Adult

Instructional control of female sexual responding.

To examine whether women can suppress genital arousal under instructional control, 25 women were presented with three erotic films and instructions to "become as aroused as possible" (Arouse) or to "suppress arousal" (Suppress). Genital responding was assessed using the heated oxygen electrode which yields two measures of vaginal responding: oxygen perfusion and thermistor assessment of vasocongestion. 36 to 40% of the sample was able to demonstrate a substantial reduction in sexual responding under Suppress instructions (depending upon the measure used), based on externally derived criteria to determine suppression. Differences were noted in the patterns of responding between suppressors and nonsuppressors, on both the pO2 and heat measures. Examination of thought-listing data indicated that subjects were able to identify cognitive strategies they used to suppress responding. In particular, successful suppressors were more likely to report the use of 2+ cognitive strategies, whereas the nonsuppressors reported reliance on a single strategy. Results are discussed in light of current theories of emotional factors in sexual responding, with emphasis on clinical implications. Directions for future research in female sexuality are highlighted.

Adult

Comparison of cognitive therapy and relaxation training for panic disorder.

Current approaches to the treatment of panic disorder (PD) include a treatment package consisting of relaxation training (RT), cognitive therapy (CT), and exposure-based components. In an examination of the separate effects of RT and CT without formally taught exposure of any form, 64 PD patients were assigned randomly to one of these treatment protocols or to a minimal-contact control (MCC) condition. Both RT and CT were superior to the MCC condition on a variety of measures pertaining to panic, global psychological functioning, agoraphobic fear, and other associated fears. A significantly greater percentage of patients were classified as treatment responders (based on a composite index) after CT (82%) and RT (68%), compared with the control group (36%). On measures of agoraphobic fear, CT patients fared slightly better than RT patients. Some support was demonstrated for specific cognitive changes after CT, although treatment specificity was not strongly supported overall. These results are discussed in light of current theories of PD and the presumed importance of exposure in its treatment.

Adolescent

Attention and memory for threat in panic disorder.

Recently, information processing paradigms have been utilized to explore the role of attentional and memory processes in the maintenance of clinical anxiety disorders. The present study extended these data using a dual-task paradigm to assess attentional vigilance and a cued recognition task to evaluate short-term memory effects in Panic Disorder (PD). Twenty PD patients and 20 normal controls completed a computerized task wherein they read aloud one of a pair of rapidly presented words (primary task) while simultaneously attempting to detect a small probe that appeared adjacent to one of the words (secondary task). Eighty stimulus words were chosen to represent four categories: physical panic-related threat, social threat, positive-emotional, and neutral. Reaction time and accuracy in detecting the probe were assessed, as well as psychophysiological responding (heart rate, skin conductance, EMG). Following task completion, a cued recognition task was administered to examine short-term memory of task stimuli. Results indicated that PD patients exhibited slower reaction times relative to normal controls during presentation of physical panic-related threat and positive-emotional stimuli. A similar trend emerged for social threat stimuli, although the PD and control samples responded similarly to neutral stimuli. No group differences were found on the cued recognition measure or psychophysiological responding during task performance. The data are discussed in terms of possible implications for cognitive models of PD.

Adult

"Emergency".

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