Abstract/Summary

Panic disorder is a debilitating anxiety disorder that affects between 1-3% of adolescents. However, little is known about the identification, treatment or lived experience of adolescents with panic disorder. Understanding these factors are crucial in improving outcomes for adolescents with panic disorder. The aims of this thesis were to gain an understanding of 1) the identification of panic disorder among adolescents within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and determine what treatments are offered to adolescents with panic disorder (paper 1), 2) to examine psychological treatment outcomes for adolescents with anxiety disorders (paper 2), and 3) to gain a qualitative understanding of adolescents’ lived experience of panic disorder (paper 3). A mixed methods approach was used to address these aims. Findings identified that CAMHS clinicians struggle to identify panic disorder, and when identified, adolescents are unlikely to be offered treatment evaluated for use among young people with panic disorder. In Paper 2 we identified that of adolescents who receive psychological treatment for anxiety disorders, predominantly CBT, only 36% were in remission from their primary anxiety disorder post-treatment. Treatment outcomes for adolescents with primary panic disorder were only reported in two of 17 review studies. Paper 3 identified that adolescents experienced panic disorder as an overwhelming intense physical and psychological experience, that had a negative impact on social and academic functioning and self-concept. Taken together, the findings of this thesis have clear implications for improving the identification and treatment of panic disorder in adolescents, as well as increasing understanding of panic disorder among clinicians, schools, and young people.