Don't panic: interpretation bias is predictive of new onsets of panic disorder.
Psychological models of panic disorder postulate that interpretation of ambiguous material as threatening is an important maintaining factor for the disorder. However, demonstrations of whether such a bias predicts onset of panic disorder are missing. In the present study, we used data from the Dresden Prediction Study, in which a epidemiologic sample of young German women was tested at two time points approximately 17 months apart, allowing the study of biased interpretation as a potential risk factor. At time point one, participants completed an Interpretation Questionnaire including two types of ambiguous scenarios: panic-related and general threat-related. Analyses revealed that a panic-related interpretation bias predicted onset of panic disorder, even after controlling for two established risk factors: anxiety sensitivity and fear of bodily sensations. This is the first prospective study demonstrating the incremental validity of interpretation bias as a predictor of panic disorder onset.
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Marcella.Woud@rub.de.
Marcella L
ML
Woud
Center for the Study and Treatment of Mental Health, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Xiao Chi
XC
Zhang
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Eni S
ES
Becker
Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.
Richard J
RJ
McNally
Center for the Study and Treatment of Mental Health, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Jürgen
J
Margraf
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D015982:Bias; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010200:Panic; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Anxiety sensitivity; Fear of bodily sensations; Interpretation bias; Panic disorder; Prospective; Risk factor