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Marshall, Erin C.

Psychology

PhD

Past work has demonstrated significant associations between anxiety sensitivity (AS; McNally, 2001), or a fear of anxiety and related sensations, and greater risk for panic disorder (PD), as well as greater panic-relevant responding to laboratory biological challenges. Existing theory suggests that individuals with unexpected panic attacks who are also high in AS may be at greatest risk for developing PD. The current study aimed to examine this potential interaction using a 4-minute 10% carbon dioxide (CO₂)-enriched air biological challenge paradigm. Specifically, it was hypothesized that individuals with a recent (past two years) history of nonclinical, unexpected panic attacks who endorsed higher levels of AS would demonstrate greater PD-relevant risk in response to the CO₂ challenge, as evidenced by: (1) greater level of post-challenge anxiety and intensity of endorsed panic attack symptoms; (2) greater increase in skin conductance level; (3) greater self-reported avoidance of an additional (perceived-to-be-possible) challenge provocation; (4) higher incidence of behavioral disturbance (e.g., mask-pulling) during the CO₂ administration; and (5) slower recovery from the challenge in terms of self-reported anxiety and skin conductance level.
Participants were 128 adults (63.3% women; Mage = 23.2, SD = 8.9) who completed a baseline session, consisting of structured clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires, as well as an experimental session, consisting of the CO₂-enriched air biological challenge procedure. Contrary to hypotheses, the interaction of a nonclinical panic attack history with AS was not significantly predictive of laboratory challenge responding, with the exception of challenge minute 4 skin conductance level. Possible explanations for the overall pattern of null findings are explored, as well as potential implications, study limitations, and future directions for this line of work.