Effects of Attentional Focus on Emotional Responding to a Biological Challenge in Panic Disorder

Abstract

The principal aim of this study was to assess whether attentional focus affects fearful responding. Specifically, the present study tested a cognitive model of panic(Clark, 1986) to determine whether attentional focus affects fearful responding to heightened somatic cues. The study compared panic disorder subjects and nonclinical controls at baseline during inhalation of 35% CO2 gas on measures of subjective and psychophysiological responding. A 2 (panic Disorder versus Normal Controls) X 3 (Internal Focus versus External Focus versus No Focus) factorial design was employed to test for main effects of group status, instructional set, and their interaction. All subjects were assessed before and after the experimental manipulation on measures of anxiety, panic, cognition, attentional focus, physical symptoms and psychophysiological measures.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 26, 1996
Accession Number
AD1011555

Entities

People

  • John Jr H. Trakowski

Organizations

  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acid-Base Imbalance
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Heart Rate
  • Human Behavior
  • Information Processing
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychological Adaptation
  • Psychology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Respiration Disorders
  • Students
  • Surveys

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.