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Attentional Bias in Adolescents with Panic Disorder: Changes over an 8-day Intensive Treatment Program

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2011

Courtney Wiener ,
Alexandra Perloe ,
Sarah Whitton  and
Donna Pincus
Courtney Wiener*
Affiliation:
Boston University, Massachusetts, USA
Alexandra Perloe
Affiliation:
McLean Hospital, Massachusetts, USA
Sarah Whitton
Affiliation:
University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Donna Pincus
Affiliation:
Boston University. Massachusetts, USA
*
Reprint requests to Courtney Wiener, Boston University, Department of Psychology, 648 Beacon Street, 6th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. E-mail: clweiner@bu.edu
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Abstract

Background: The present study evaluated attentional bias in adolescents diagnosed with panic disorder. Although a large body of research exists in the area of attentional bias in adults, this feature of panic disorder is not well understood in adolescents. Method: Twenty-five adolescents, aged 12–17, with a panic disorder diagnosis were included in the study. An emotional Stroop task was utilized to assess whether: (1) adolescents with panic disorder exhibit an attentional bias to panic-relevant stimuli; (2) this bias diminishes after completing a course of CBT; and (3) a specific attentional bias towards disorder-relevant stimuli exists. Results: An attentional bias to panic-relevant stimuli was found at pre-treatment but was no longer present following an intensive CBT intervention. Contrary to some findings in the adult literature, no significant differences were found between panic-relevant versus other threatening stimuli. Conclusions: These results suggest that adolescents with panic disorder, similar to adults, do exhibit an attentional bias towards panic-relevant stimuli, and treatment seems to normalize this cognitive process.

Keywords

Anxiety disordersadolescentsattentioncognitive behavioral therapypanic disorder with agoraphobia
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , March 2012 , pp. 193 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2011

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