Expected versus unexpected panic attacks: a naturalistic prospective study

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that are associated with expectation of panic attacks as well as to validate the hypothesized tendency to identify false (panic) alarms in panic disorder. Ten women with panic disorder were assessed naturalistically using computer-assisted self-monitoring. This allowed for prospective assessment of expected versus unexpected panic attacks. Expectation of panic attacks was associated with panic occurrence, as well as elevated sense of threat or danger, anxiety, helplessness, avoidance, distress about physical symptoms, physical sensations, and catastrophic thoughts prior to the attack. In general, the state measured prior to unexpected attacks did not differ from ongoing nonpanic state. Furthermore, none of the variables measured during the attacks were able to distinguish unexpected attacks from expected attacks.