Anxiety Sensitivity and PTSD Symptom Severity Are Reciprocally Related
Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of Physical Trauma Survivors
Published in: Journal of Abnormal Psychology, v. 119, no. 1, Feb. 2010, p. 143-150
Posted on RAND.org on February 01, 2010
Cross-lagged panel analysis of interview data collected from survivors of traumatic physical injury (N = 677) was used to examine the temporal relationship between anxiety sensitivity and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. The 2 constructs were assessed at 3 time points: within days of physical injury, at 6-month follow-up, and at 12-month follow-up. Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity and PTSD symptom severity were reciprocally related such that anxiety sensitivity predicted subsequent PTSD symptom severity, and symptom severity predicted later anxiety sensitivity. Findings have both theoretical and clinical implications.
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