Anxiety and Panic in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: The Role of Catastrophic Thoughts

Gurney-Smith, Ben; Cooper, Myra J. and Wallace, Louise M. (2002). Anxiety and Panic in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: The Role of Catastrophic Thoughts. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 26(1) pp. 143–155.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013854023665

Abstract

A short form of the Interpretation of Breathing Problems Questionnaire (the IBPQ-S) was developed in 30 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It was then used to test specific hypotheses, derived from Clark's cognitive model of panic (D. Clark, 1986). Findings indicated that IBPQ-S catastrophic cognitions were related to anxiety triggered by COPD symptoms but not to general anxiety, or to panic. Severity of IBPQ-S catastrophic cognitions contributed unique variance to the prediction of anxiety triggered by COPD symptoms (in safe and unsafe situations), and to the prediction of behavioral avoidance in unsafe situations. In all 3 cases IBPQ-S cognitive variables added significant incremental variance beyond that explained by disease, demographic variables, and the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire. The measure also has promising psychometric properties. The findings are consistent with Clark's model; they highlight the importance of catastrophic cognitions in COPD-related anxiety.

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