title: Longitudinal course of anxiety sensitivity and PTSD symptoms in cognitive-behavioral therapies for PTSD.
abstract: Anxiety sensitivity (AS) has been conceptualized as trait-like vulnerability and maintenance factor for PTSD. Although recent literature has demonstrated its malleability during treatment, few have examined its influence on and effect from PTSD treatment. Using multilevel regression analyses we examined: (a) changes in AS during treatment and (b) whether pre-treatment AS predicted PTSD treatment response, in sample of female victims of interpersonal trauma receiving one of three treatments (cognitive processing therapy, cognitive processing therapy-cognitive, and written accounts). Participants exhibited reductions in total ASI scores from pre- to post-treatment. Growth curve modeling revealed slightly different trajectories of PTSD symptoms as a function of pre-treatment AS, and overall decreases in PTSD symptoms during treatment were not associated with pretreatment AS. Pretreatment AS dimensions impacted PTSD total scores and symptoms clusters differentially. Clinical and theoretical implications for these results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, United States; National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Women's Health Sciences Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, United States. Electronic address: cassidy.gutner@va.gov.
authors.forename: Cassidy A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gutner
authors.forename: Yael I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Nillni
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suvak
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiltsey-Stirman
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Resick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety sensitivity; Cognitive therapy; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Treatment