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Marital Adjustment and Treatment Outcome in Agoraphobia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

William Monteiro ,
Isaac M. Marks  and
Elizabeth Ramm
William Monteiro
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF; Bethlem & Mauds ley Hospitals, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ
Isaac M. Marks*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry; Consultant Psychiatrist, Bethlem & Maudsley Hospitals
Elizabeth Ramm
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Maudsley Hospital
*
∗Correspondence
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Summary

Forty agoraphobics had individual exposure treatment over a period of 28 weeks and were followed up for two years. Outcome in the 27 married patients was as favourable as that in the 13 single patients. However, among the married patients greater improvement occurred in those with better initial marital and sexual adjustment although even those with poor initial marital adjustment improved significantly during treatment and maintained that improvement during follow-up. Good initial work adjustment and social adjustment were also predictive of particularly good outcome. Reduction of phobias was accompanied by stable or improved marital, sexual, social and work adjustment.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 146 , Issue 4 , April 1985 , pp. 383 - 390
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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