Concordance Between Measures of Anxiety and Physiological Arousal Following Treatment of Panic Disorder in Adolescence

Abstract

This study examined the concordance (or synchrony/desynchrony) between adolescents' self-reports of anxiety and physiological measures of arousal (heart rate) both prior to and after treatment for panic disorder. Results indicated a decline in reported subjective units of distress (SUDS) for the treatment group only at the post-treatment measurement for two of three tasks. Within the treatment group, heart rate changes during the Behavioral Approach Test (BAT) were observed following treatment for one task only. Implications of this apparent desynchrony between self-report and physiological measures in adolescent panic disorder are discussed, with cognitive changes in participants' perception of anxiety after treatment suggested as an important factor in recovery.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescence
• assessment
• cognitive-behavioral therapy
• concordance
• panic disorder

This research was funded by research grant MH58641, from the National Institute of Mental Health awarded to the last author.

Notes

Note. TX = treatment group; SM = self-monitoring control plus treatment group.

Although heart rate is measured throughout the entire BAT, only the final 3 minutes of the 5-minute baseline period are included in statistical analyses. It was determined that the final 3 minutes would represent the purest measure of actual baseline, since the initial minutes reflected the subject becoming accustomed to the setting, equipment, etc., and may thus have some elements of anxiety associated with them.

Analysis available from first author upon request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sara G. Mattis

Dr. Sara G. Mattis is now in Private Practice in Winchester, MA, USA.