Abstract
Theory implicates peritraumatic fear-based interoceptive conditioning in the development of panic spectrum problems subsequent
to traumatic event exposure. Relatively little empirical work has directly investigated this hypothesis. The current study
tested the hypothesis that level of peritraumatic fear would predict anxious reactivity to a well-established 3-min voluntary
hyperventilation procedure administered to 63 adolescents who had experienced a DSM-IV-TR-defined traumatic event. This relation
was examined after controlling for variance accounted for by posttraumatic stress symptoms, sex, age, anxiety sensitivity,
general symptoms of psychopathology, and both peritraumatic helplessness and disgust. As predicted, peritraumatic fear was
related to anxious reactivity to hyperventilation-elicited bodily arousal. Specificity tests suggested this relation was specific
to peritraumatic fear. Prospective research is now needed to better elucidate the relation between peritraumatic fear and
subsequent development of anxious reactivity to bodily arousal and panic spectrum problems.
to traumatic event exposure. Relatively little empirical work has directly investigated this hypothesis. The current study
tested the hypothesis that level of peritraumatic fear would predict anxious reactivity to a well-established 3-min voluntary
hyperventilation procedure administered to 63 adolescents who had experienced a DSM-IV-TR-defined traumatic event. This relation
was examined after controlling for variance accounted for by posttraumatic stress symptoms, sex, age, anxiety sensitivity,
general symptoms of psychopathology, and both peritraumatic helplessness and disgust. As predicted, peritraumatic fear was
related to anxious reactivity to hyperventilation-elicited bodily arousal. Specificity tests suggested this relation was specific
to peritraumatic fear. Prospective research is now needed to better elucidate the relation between peritraumatic fear and
subsequent development of anxious reactivity to bodily arousal and panic spectrum problems.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10608-011-9380-0
- Authors
- Christal L. Badour, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Matthew T. Feldner, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Heidemarie Blumenthal, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Sarah J. Bujarski, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Ellen W. Leen-Feldner, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Kimberly A. Babson, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Journal Cognitive Therapy and Research
- Online ISSN 1573-2819
- Print ISSN 0147-5916