Attentional bias in adolescents with panic disorder: changes over an 8-day intensive treatment program.
BACKGROUND
The present study evaluated attentional bias in adolescents diagnosed with panic disorder. Although a large body of research exists in the area of attentional bias in adults, this feature of panic disorder is not well understood in adolescents.


METHODS
Twenty-five adolescents, aged 12-17, with a panic disorder diagnosis were included in the study. An emotional Stroop task was utilized to assess whether: (1) adolescents with panic disorder exhibit an attentional bias to panic-relevant stimuli; (2) this bias diminishes after completing a course of CBT; and (3) a specific attentional bias towards disorder-relevant stimuli exists.


RESULTS
An attentional bias to panic-relevant stimuli was found at pre-treatment but was no longer present following an intensive CBT intervention. Contrary to some findings in the adult literature, no significant differences were found between panic-relevant versus other threatening stimuli.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that adolescents with panic disorder, similar to adults, do exhibit an attentional bias towards panic-relevant stimuli, and treatment seems to normalize this cognitive process.
Boston University, Massachusetts, USA. clweiner@bu.edu
Courtney
C
Wiener
Alexandra
A
Perloe
Sarah
S
Whitton
Donna
D
Pincus
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011930:Reaction Time; D057190:Stroop Test