DISSOCIATIVE SYMPTOMS IN PANIC DISORDER

The present study examined the prevalence and correlates of dissociati ve symptoms in patients with panic disorder and patients with other no npanic anxiety disorders. A total of 56 patients with anxiety disorder s (13 with panic disorder alone, 16 with comorbid panic and other anxi ety, and 27 with other anxiety disorders) were assessed with structure d clinical interviews and a battery of questionnaires. Although 69% of patients with panic disorder experienced depersonalization or dereali zation during their panic attacks, panic disorder patients were no mor e likely to experience dissociative experiences as assessed by the Dis sociative Experience Scale than patients with other anxiety disorders. In the entire sample, the prevalence of dissociative experiences was very low and well within nonpathological ranges. The correlates of dis sociative symptoms were severity of depression, social anxiety, and pe rsonality disorders. The implications of these findings for conceptual izing the nature of dissociative symptoms within an anxiety population are discussed.