Panic Disorder

Question 1

False Suffocation Alarm Hypothesis

Answer 1

• Developed by Klein
• Automatic system for detecting imbalance of CO2 to O2
• Related to when humans survived by the body automatically detecting this and panicking when air is scarce.

Question 2

Replications of False Suffocation Alarm Hypothesis found…

Answer 2

When testing other subjects, it was found everyone (even controls) had the same physiological response to this lack of air
Thus this argument does not hold for panic disorders

Question 3

Behavioural approach to PD?

Answer 3

Pavlovian Theory:
Interoceptive stimuli (e.g. dizziness) is CS to aversive consequence
Behaviour therapist can expose individuals to CS and extinguish the fear response

Question 4

Cognitive approach to PD?

Answer 4

• Clark 1986
• The threat is perceived
• Your body begins to apprehend
• This bodily sensation in response causes a catastrophic interpretation of sensations.

Goal is to change interpretation of a particular stimulus

Question 5

What is SAD?

Answer 5

A marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others.

The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing.

• Provokes anxiety
• Avoided or endured w/ distress
• Recognition fear is excessive or unreasonable
• Causes impairment

Question 6

Clinical features of SAD?

Answer 6

• Belief they’re seen as inept, stupid or foolish
• Hypersensitive to criticism
• Non-assertive
• Low self-esteem
• Safety behaviours common
• ‘Observer Perspective’
• Information processing biases

Question 7

Prevalence of Social Anxiety?

Answer 7

12% lifetime

• M = F in clinical pop.
• Onset typically in late adolescence
• Appears in all cultures, although influenced by social norms

Question 8

Cognitive Model of Social Anxiety (Clark and Wells, 1995) - 4 tenants?

Answer 8

Argued social anxiety is maintained by FOUR things:

1. Increased self-focused attention
2. Use of misleading internal info.
3. Use of safety behaviours
4. Pre- and post-event processing

Question 9

Mansell, Clark and Ehlers, 2003 study investigated…

Answer 9

Attentional Bias of Social Anxiety

Question 10

Mansell, Clark and Ehlers, 2003 study found?

Answer 10

FOUND:

• In low threat situation no difference b/w high and low anxiety patients and whether they predicted externally or internally
• In high social threat, people with low anxiety became externally focused (observing those around them) and people with high social anxiety became very inwards (monitoring sensations and state, how they’re standing, feeling, etc.)