Personality traits associated with panic disorder: change associated with treatment

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Personality Disorders

Background:

• Panic disorder is a debilitating condition often associated with significant personality dysfunction.
• Previous research suggests a link between panic symptoms and specific personality traits, but longitudinal data are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between personality traits and panic disorder symptoms over a 3-year period.
• To determine if improvements in panic symptoms are associated with changes in personality functioning.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-two subjects diagnosed with panic disorder completed the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ) at baseline and after 3 years of treatment.
• A control group of normal subjects matched for age and sex was used for comparison at baseline.
• Statistical analyses examined correlations between changes in panic symptom severity and PDQ subscale scores.

Main Results:

• At baseline, panic disorder subjects scored higher on avoidant, dependent, histrionic, and paranoid personality subscales compared to controls.
• Significant improvement in panic symptoms over 3 years was associated with corresponding reductions in these specific personality subscale scores.
• Qualitative analysis of individual items revealed themes of dependency, low self-confidence, emotional instability, and sensitivity to criticism in panic disorder subjects.

Conclusions:

• Personality traits assessed by the PDQ may reflect state-dependent effects of panic and agoraphobic symptoms.
• Improvements in panic disorder symptoms can lead to positive changes in perceived personality functioning and morale.
• Findings highlight the interconnectedness of panic symptoms and personality, suggesting a need for integrated treatment approaches.