Browsing by Subject "Anxiety sensitivity"
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Item Anxiety sensitivity index (ASI) correlation to positron emission tomography (PET) scans of individuals coping with an anxiety producing situation(2002-08) Robillard, Rachel West; Semrud-Clikeman, Margaret; Liotti, MarioItem Do girls' threat appraisals, self-blame appraisals, and/or anxiety sensitivity mediate the relation between marital conflict and girls' depression versus anxiety?(2012-08) Goodrich, Meghan; Epkins, Catherine C.; Borrego, Joaquin P.; Clopton, James R.; Wherry, Jeffrey N.It was examined in 119 two-parent families with girls aged 8 to 12 (M = 10.01, SD = 1.40) whether girls’ threat and self-blame appraisals, examined simultaneously, significantly mediated the relation between marital conflict and girls’ specific internalizing symptoms (anxiety and depressive symptoms), after controlling for comorbid internalizing and externalizing symptoms. It was predicted that threat appraisals would be a stronger mediator of the relation between marital conflict and anxiety symptoms compared to self-blame appraisals, while self-blame appraisals would be a stronger mediator of the relation between marital conflict and depressive symptoms compared to threat appraisals. Parent-reported marital conflict and girls’ perceived marital conflict were examined separately. Results indicated that the total indirect effects of threat and self-blame appraisals significantly mediated the relation between marital conflict and both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Further examination revealed that the specific indirect effects for only threat appraisals remained significant when self-blame appraisals were parceled out for both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Threat appraisals and self-blame appraisals did not differ significantly. It also was predicted that total anxiety sensitivity (AS) would mediate the relation between marital conflict and girls’ depressive, social anxiety, and anxiety symptoms, after controlling for comorbid internalizing symptoms. These hypotheses were not supported. Specific AS factors were examined together as mediators of the relations between marital conflict and girls’ specific internalizing symptoms. Results showed that only Disease Concerns emerged as a significant mediator of the relation between girls’ perceived marital conflict and girls’ anxiety symptoms, after controlling for girls’ depressive symptoms.Item Reducing anxiety sensitivity : effects of anxiety education and interoceptive exposure with CO₂(2011-08) Pai, Anushka Vasudeva; Telch, Michael Joseph; Bartholomew, John; Beevers, Christopher; Hixon, John; Holahan, CharlesAnxiety sensitivity, defined as the fear of anxiety-related sensations and their consequences (Reiss & McNally, 1985), has been consistently shown to be associated with risk for anxiety psychopathology as well as other mental health problems. The primary objective of the present secondary prevention trial sought to examine strategies to reduce anxiety sensitivity among persons with elevated anxiety sensitivity by testing the singular and combined efficacy of two commonly used strategies in multi-component interventions for reducing anxiety sensitivity: (a) anxiety psychoeducation emphasizing the benign nature of stress and (b) interoceptive exposure (i.e. repeated inhalations of 35% CO₂ gas mixture). To provide a stringent control for non-specific effects associated with anxiety psychoeducation and interoceptive exposure with CO₂, two control strategies were included in the study design: general health and nutrition education and repeated inhalations of regular room air. Utilizing a 2X2 design, participants were randomly assigned to receive an education component and intervention sessions consisting of one of two gas mixtures. The current study did not support the relative efficacy of hypothesized active intervention strategies. Rather, all conditions led to significant reductions in anxiety sensitivity. In addition, within-condition effect sizes for conditions in the present study were comparable to effect sizes of active interventions that were efficacious in previous research. Findings from the present study support that anxiety sensitivity is malleable following brief, cost-efficient interventions and these reductions are maintained over a one-month follow-up period. Data from the present study suggest that in the presence of stringent control conditions, hypothesized active intervention strategies provided little additional benefit. The present study has implications for methodological considerations for future secondary prevention trials for the reduction of anxiety sensitivity. The absence of stringent control groups might lead to premature conclusions that reductions in anxiety sensitivity are due to the specific effects of active interventions. Further research is needed to elucidate specific effects of intervention strategies for the reduction of anxiety sensitivity in at risk populations in order to refine secondary prevention interventions aimed to reduce risk for psychopathology.