An analogue study of emotional conflict and panic onset

An analogue study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the combination of heightened emotionality from interpersonal conflict and the fear of loss of control when experiencing strong emotion may precipitate panic in individuals who have never had a panic attack. One hundred sixteen subjects who had no history of panic participated in two procedures designed to induce emotionality and body sensations. Subjects completed ratings to assess (a) affective control, state and trait anxiety, and emotions (positive, negative) at baseline, (b) state anxiety and emotions following the mood and body sensation inductions, and (c) fear of body sensations following the body sensations induction. Hierarchical regression was used to test the hypothesis. The results showed that subjects who fear strong emotion become more anxious and fearful of body sensations than subjects who do not fear strong emotion. Further, fear of strong emotion predicted greater fear of body sensations over and above the contribution of state and trait anxiety. The prediction that the combination of heightened emotionality from interpersonal conflict and fear of strong emotion would lead to heightened anxiety and greater fear of somatic symptoms after bodily sensations induction was not upheld. Fear of strong emotion continued to predict greater fear of body sensations over and above the contribution of state and trait anxiety when subjects recalled joyful or routine interpersonal situations and underwent body sensations induction. However, the prediction that the combination of heightened emotionality from a joyful situation and fear of strong emotion would lead to heightened anxiety and greater fear of body sensations was not confirmed.