EFFECTS OF A SAFE PERSON ON INDUCED DISTRESS FOLLOWING A BIOLOGICAL CHALLENGE IN PANIC DISORDER WITH AGORAPHOBIA

This study examined the effect of having a safe person present on arti ficially induced anxiety following a biological challenge among panic- disordered patients. Anxiety symptoms were induced using a 5.5% CO2-in halation procedure. Panic patients underwent the inhalation procedure either in the presence or absence of their safe person. Nonanxious con trols underwent the procedure without a safe person. Panic patients ex posed to CO2 without their safe person present reported greater distre ss, a greater number of catastrophic cognitions, and a greater level o f physiological arousal than did panic patients exposed with their saf e person. The latter group did not differ from controls on most measur es at postexposure. The attenuation of self-reported anxiety and catas trophic cognitions is consistent with the safety-signal theory and the cognitive model of panic, respectively. The results, however, are inc onsistent with a biological model of panic.