THE RELATIONSHIP OF ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE TO AGORAPHOBIA SEVERITY, DEPRESSION, AND TREATMENT OUTCOME

The present study examined the relationship of attributional style, as measured with a revised version of the Attributional Style Questionna ire (ASQ) and measures of agoraphobia severity, depression, and treatm ent outcome in 73 Ss who met DSM-III criteria for agoraphobia with pan ic attacks and participated in one of three 13-week treatment conditio ns: paradoxical intention, graduated exposure, or progressive deep mus cle relaxation training. Subjects completed assessments at four period s: pretreatment, midtreatment, posttreatment, and at 3 month follow-up . In addition to the three dimensions typically examined on the ASQ, t his revised version also measured Ss' estimates of the perceived impor tance, and future likelihood for both positive and negative events. Co ngruent with previous research, moderate but somewhat inconsistent ass ociations were observed between attributional style and depression bot h within and across assessment periods. Predictions about associations between attributional style and agoraphobic severity were not support ed; however, an interaction was observed between depression and attrib utional style with respect to severity of agoraphobia. There was no ev idence of group differences across treatment types, although there wer e several significant changes in attributional style across time. Attr ibutions for health related events were also examined. Conceptual, cli nical, and research issues related to the findings are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.