title: An experimental test of the effects of parental modeling on panic-relevant escape and avoidance among early adolescents.
abstract: Escape and avoidance behaviors play a prominent role in the maintenance and possibly development of panic disorder, yet the literature regarding the etiology of these emotion-regulation strategies is relatively underdeveloped. The current study experimentally tests hypotheses that parental modeling of escape during a well-established panic-relevant biological challenge increases panic-relevant escape and avoidance among offspring. Fifty physically and psychologically healthy early adolescents (28 females; Mage=11.58; 86% Caucasian), stratified by gender, were randomly assigned to observe one of their parents (39 females; Mage=40.04): either (a) model completing a 3-min voluntary hyperventilation exercise (no escape modeling group) or (b) model premature termination of a similar procedure (escape modeling group). Offspring in the escape modeling group demonstrated a stronger escape response by discontinuing their own challenge sooner than those in the no-escape modeling group (r=.70). No group differences emerged in terms of avoidance responding, as indexed by nearly identical responding in terms of delay time before initiating the challenge, respiration rate, and self-reported willingness to engage in a second proposed challenge. Results suggest that parental behaviors may play an important role in the development of some forms of panic-relevant responding. These preliminary findings may have important implications for future prevention programs targeting parents and at-risk youth.
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas; Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University. Electronic address: liviu_bunaciu@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Liviu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bunaciu
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas.
authors.forename: Ellen W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Leen-Feldner
authors.affiliation: University of North Texas.
authors.forename: Heidemarie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas.
authors.forename: Ashley A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas, Medical University of South Carolina,; Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.
authors.forename: Christal L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Badour
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas; Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa. Electronic address: mfeldne@uark.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Feldner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006985:Hyperventilation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010200:Panic; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: avoidance; escape; modeling; panic; voluntary hyperventilation