The effects of verbal and imaginal worry on panic symptoms during an interoceptive exposure task

This study examined the potential of 11 interoceptive exposure exercises to produce depersonalization and derealization among high anxiety-sensitive undergraduate students. Inspired by a February 2007 thread on the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies listserv, we identified nine exercises and compared their capacity to produce depersonalization and derealization with two previously validated tasks: mirror and dot staring. Results indicated that five exercises, including hyperventilation (1 minute), hyperventilation (5 minutes), hyperventilation plus spiral staring, hyperventilation plus strobe light, and strobe light alone, were superior to either mirror or dot staring at inducing depersonalization or derealization. If replicated in a clinical sample, our findings may be used to assist clinicians seeking to evoke these states via interoceptive exposure.

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The unique and conditional effects of interoceptive exposure in the treatment of anxiety: A functional analysis

Behaviour Research and Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.brat.2018.12.002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 117 ◽

pp. 65-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hannah Boettcher ◽

David H. Barlow

Keyword(s):

Functional Analysis ◽

Interoceptive Exposure ◽

Conditional Effects

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MMPI/MMPI-2 critical items for panic symptoms

Journal of Anxiety Disorders ◽

10.1016/0887-6185(92)90039-a ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 275-283

Author(s):

Ronald F. Lewis ◽

Karen K. Downey

Keyword(s):

Panic Symptoms

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Behavioral, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine indices of cholecystokinin tetrapeptide induced panic symptoms in healthy volunteers following acute administration of a tryptophan deficient diet.

10.22215/etd/1994-02868 ◽

1994 ◽

Author(s):

Diana Koszycki

Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Acute Administration ◽

Deficient Diet ◽

Panic Symptoms

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Fear of Autonomic Arousal and Use of Coping Strategies as Predictors of Agoraphobic Avoidance in Panic Disorder

Behaviour Change ◽

10.1017/s081348390000471x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 228-236 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Patricia Rayment ◽

Jeff Richards

Keyword(s):

Panic Disorder ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Panic Attacks ◽

Autonomic Arousal ◽

Negative Cognitions ◽

Considerable Controversy ◽

Dsm Iv ◽

Panic Symptoms ◽

Behavioural Strategies

Despite the very significant proportion of people with panic disorder who have accompanying agoraphobia, there is considerable controversy about the variables that influence the development of this avoidance behaviour. This study investigated whether degree of avoidance is a function of extent of fear and prevalence of negative cognitions about autonomic arousal symptoms and whether the use of, and confidence in, behavioural strategies to cope with panic sensations also influences agoraphobic avoidance. Thirty-nine people who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder completed questionnaires measuring fear and negative cognitions about autonomic arousal and panic sensations, and a questionnaire measuring their use of largely behavioural strategies to cope with panic attacks. Fear of autonomic arousal and negative cognitions in response to the occurrence of these arousal symptoms were jointly related to situational avoidance. There was little relationship between the use of, and confidence in, panic coping strategies and less agoraphobic avoidance, although simply allowing panic symptoms to develop and pass predicted less avoidance. The results were interpreted as providing an empirical basis for treatment that reduces fear of panic sensations and allows their experience to be tolerated while preventing escape and avoidance of situations in which panic occurs. There was little evidence that additional teaching of behavioural coping strategies would be useful in reducing agoraphobic avoidance.

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