Attention to bodily sensations: A test of the cognitive-attentional model of panic

This paper describes a study designed to test the cognitive-attentional mod el of panic. This model suggests that attention to internal sensations is l ikely to increase misinterpretation of them as representing a serious threa t to health, which in turn might increase anxiety. In the present study, in structions for internal attentional focus were predicted to increase sympto m reporting, anxiety, and catastrophic symptom attributions. Two groups, pa tients diagnosed with panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) and normal cont rols, watched a stressful film; half of each group was asked to attend to t heir internal sensations while watching, and the other half to focus on the film. In the normal controls, the manipulation was effective in modifying attentional focus, and the self-focused attention group became more anxious , reported more symptoms, and made more negative symptom attributions. Howe ver, in the PDA group, attentional focus was high in both conditions, and p erhaps for this reason the intervention had no effect on mood, symptoms, ca tastrophic cognitions, or symptom attribution. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.