The psychological and physiological effects of integrated cognitive-behavioral and biofeedback therapy on panic disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and biofeedback therapy are commonly re-garded as effective treatment modalities for panic disorder. The aim of this study was to estab-lish a Taiwanese version of an integrated cognitive-behavioral and biofeedback therapy (ICB) and examine its effects on panic disorder using psychological and physiological indicators. Methods: Thirty patients with panic disorder were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned to either the ICB group (n = 15) or the treatment as usual (TAU) group (n = 15). The intervention consisted of six sessions, conducted once a week. Psychological indicators were measured at baseline (prior to intervention), week 3, and week 6, while physiological indica-tors were measured at baseline and week 6. The psychological indicators included five scales, with the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) being the primary measure. The physiological in-dicators included respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and skin conductance, which respectively