PREDICTORS OF PANIC-FEAR IN ASTHMA

Eighty-six asthmatics completed measures of illness-specific panic-fear (i.e., panic-fear in response to symptoms of asthma) and of generalized panic-fear, dyspnea frequency, and catastrophic cognitions about bodily symptoms (the Anxiety Sensitivity Index [ASI] and Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire [ACQ]). Asthma variables (self-report and pulmonary function tests) and cognitive variables (ASI and ACQ) were independently related to illness-specific panic-fear. Regression analyses showed that the cognitive variables predicted significant variance in both panic-fear scales after controlling for the effects of demographic and asthma variables. By contrast, the asthma variables were not associated with generalized panic-fear when the cognitive measures were controlled. In light of the adverse effects of panic-fear on asthma, the authors' results suggest that researchers may fruitfully explore the use of cognitive techniques as an adjunctive treatment for improving asthma outcome.