Unexpected arousal, anxiety sensitivity, and their interaction on CO 2-induced panic: Further evidence for the context-sensitivity vulnerability model

• Published in: Journal of anxiety disorders Vol. 25; no. 5; pp. 645 - 653
• Main Authors: Telch, Michael J., Harrington, Patrick J., Smits, Jasper A.J., Powers, Mark B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2011
• Subjects: 35% CO 2 challenge; Anxiety sensitivity; Arousal unexpectedness; Biological challenge; Context-sensitivity vulnerability model; Panic provocation; Arousal unexpectedness; Panic provocation; Anxiety sensitivity; 35% CO 2 challenge; Biological challenge; Context-sensitivity vulnerability model
• ISSN: 0887-6185; 1873-7897
• DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2011.02.005

► This experiment tested predictions from the context-sensitivity model of panic. ► Subjects’ high in anxiety sensitivity (AS) were more likely to show greater fear responding to 35% CO 2 inhalation relative to subjects low in anxiety sensitivity, however this relationship was strongly moderated by the experimental manipulation of threat context. ► High AS subjects who were led to expect that 35% CO2 inhalation would produce feelings of relaxation showed markedly greater fear and probability of panic relative to High AS subjects who were led to expect heightened arousal. ► As predicted, subjects low in AS were unaffected by the manipulation of the “unexpectedness” of CO 2 effects. ► These findings provide additional support for the role of context in moderating the effects of anxiety sensitivity on fear responding to biological challenge. The present experiment tested several predictions derived from the context-sensitivity vulnerability model of panic. Participants ( N = 79) scoring either high or low in anxiety sensitivity (AS) and with no history of unexpected panic were randomly assigned to one of two instructional sets: expected arousal (EA) or expected relaxation (ER). All participants were administered inhalation of room air and 35% CO 2 in a counterbalanced order. Consistent with theoretical predictions, High-AS participants who received ER instructions showed greater emotional responding compared to High-AS participants who received EA instructions, while instructional set did not affect responding among Low-AS participants. Panic attacks were observed in 52% of the High-AS-ER group compared to 17%, 5%, and 5% in the High-AS-EA, Low-AS-ER, and Low-AS-EA groups respectively. These findings are consistent with the theory's assertion that dispositional tendencies, such as anxiety sensitivity potentiate the panicogenic effects of threat-relevant context variables.