Retrospective versus prospective self-rating of anxiety symptoms and cognitions

The discrepancy between retrospective and prospective rating of anxiety symptoms and cognition was examined in 20 agoraphobics. Subjects were required to complete a checklist of symptoms and cognitions during exposure to an agoraphobic situation. and then to complete a similar set retrospectively. More cognitions were rated retrospectively than prospectively, with the discrepancy especially evident for cognitions about physical catastrophe. In contrast, there was no discrepancy between anxiety symptoms rated prospectively versus retrospectively. This may be because anxiety symptoms are easier for patients to identify than cognitions. require less introspection. or are less affected by context than cognition. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are made.