Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Clin Psychol Psychother. 2011 Mar-Apr;18(2):124-37. doi: 10.1002/cpp.680. Epub 2010 Feb 8.
Despite its prevalence and potential impact on functioning, there are surprisingly little data regarding the treatment responsiveness of travel phobia. The purpose of this non-randomized study was to evaluate the usefulness of a trauma-focused treatment approach for travel phobia, or milder travel anxiety arising as a result of a road traffic accident. Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing were used to treat a sample of 184 patients, who were referred to a psychological rehabilitation provider. Patients in both treatment groups were encouraged to encounter their feared objects and situations between sessions. Specific (i.e., travel) phobia was diagnosed in 57% of cases. Patients in both treatment conditions showed equally large, and clinically significant, decreases in symptoms as indexed by three validated measures (Impact of Event Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and General Health Questionnaire), therapist ratings of treatment outcome, and a return to driving or travelling by car or motorbike. These improvements were obtained within an average course of 7.3 sessions of 1 hour each. Patients with travel phobia responded with a greater reduction of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms than those with milder travel anxiety. Passengers reported higher levels of trauma symptoms than drivers, but no difference in effectiveness of treatment was found between these groups. The results suggest that trauma-focused psychological interventions can be a treatment alternative for patients with travel anxiety. Given the seriousness of the clinical problems related to road traffic accidents more rigorous outcome research is warranted and needed.
尽管旅行恐惧症普遍存在且可能对功能产生影响，但关于其治疗反应的相关数据却非常有限。本非随机研究的目的是评估创伤聚焦治疗方法对旅行恐惧症或因道路交通事故引起的轻度旅行焦虑的有效性。使用创伤聚焦认知行为疗法（TF-CBT）和眼动脱敏与再加工来治疗 184 名患者，这些患者被转介到心理康复机构。在治疗组中，鼓励患者在治疗期间遇到他们害怕的物体和情况。在特定情况下（即旅行）诊断出恐惧症的患者占 57%。接受两种治疗条件的患者在三种经过验证的测量工具（事件影响量表、医院焦虑和抑郁量表、一般健康问卷）、治疗师对治疗结果的评估、以及重新开车或乘坐汽车或摩托车旅行方面，症状都有同等程度的显著减少。这些改善是在平均 7.3 个 1 小时疗程内获得的。与轻度旅行焦虑的患者相比，患有旅行恐惧症的患者的焦虑和创伤后应激障碍症状减轻幅度更大。乘客报告的创伤症状水平高于驾驶员，但在这些群体中未发现治疗效果存在差异。结果表明，创伤聚焦的心理干预可以作为治疗旅行焦虑患者的一种选择。鉴于与道路交通事故相关的临床问题的严重性，更严格的结果研究是必要的。
