THE RECOLLECTION OF PARENTAL REARING STYLES IN PATIENTS WITH PANIC DISORDER

Studies of the mental image of parents assessed by means of the Parent al Bonding Instrument (PBI) in patients with panic disorder (according to DSM-III-R) have shown conflicting results. We examined 45 patients with panic disorder with and without agoraphobia and 116 controls usi ng the PBI. As a group, patients with panic disorder reported signific antly less care and more protection from parents than the controls. Th is difference was shown by the patients who had panic disorder with ma jor agoraphobia, while those with minor agoraphobia did not differ fro m the controls. The present study supports the findings that low level s of care and high levels of protection, rather than affectionate cons traint, were the predominant mental image reported by patients with pa nic disorder, using the PBI.