title: Perievent panic attack and depression after the World Trade Center disaster: a structural equation model analysis.
abstract: Research suggests that perievent panic attacks--panic attacks in temporal proximity to traumatic events--are predictive of later mental health status, including the onset of depression. Using a community sample of New York City residents interviewed 1 year and 2 years after the World Trade Center Disaster, we estimated a structural equation model (SEM) using pre-disaster psychological status and post-disaster life events, together with psychosocial resources, to assess the relationship between perievent panic and later onset depression. Bivariate results revealed a significant association between perievent panic and both year-1 and year-2 depression. Results for the SEM, however showed that perievent panic was predictive of year-1 depression, but not year-2 depression, once potential confounders were controlled Year-2 stressors and year-2 psychosocial resources were the best predictors of year-2 depression onset. Pre-disaster psychological problems were directly implicated in year-1 depression, but not year-2 depression. We conclude that a conceptual model that includes pre- and post-disaster variables best explains the complex causal pathways between psychological status, stressor exposure, perievent panic attacks, and depression onset two years after the World Trade Center attacks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Kent State University, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Boscarino
mesh_terms: D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009519:New York City; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support