Attributional style and panic disorder

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the development of panic disorder and attribution style by administering the Attribution Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to 28 subjects with panic disorder with agoraphobia and 21 subjects with other anxiety disorders who had experienced a panic attack at some time. No significant differences were found between the groups suggesting that cognitive style as assessed by the ASQ may not predispose to the development of panic disorders. A factor analysis of the results indicated that the ASQ may not be appropriate for the assessment of patients with panic disorder. Alternative hypotheses for the development of panic disorder are discussed.