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Agoraphobia Related to Unassertiveness in Panic Disorder
Michelle Nigri Levitan1, Pedro Simoes, Aline G Sardinha
1*Psychiatry Institute and †Social Work School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|February 26, 2016
Summary
Patients with panic disorder (PD) often struggle with assertiveness, particularly when agoraphobia is present. Improving assertiveness skills may enhance treatment outcomes for individuals with PD.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Conventional treatments for panic disorder (PD) are ineffective for a substantial number of patients.
- Interpersonal factors are increasingly recognized as crucial in predicting treatment success or failure in PD.
- Assertiveness deficits may contribute to the persistence of PD symptoms and treatment resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the level of assertiveness in patients diagnosed with panic disorder (PD).
- To explore the relationship between assertiveness and the severity of PD symptoms.
- To examine the impact of comorbid agoraphobia on assertiveness in PD patients.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 46 symptomatic patients with PD and 46 healthy college students were assessed.
- Participants completed self-report measures of assertiveness and provided clinical data.
- Statistical analyses were performed to compare assertiveness levels and identify correlations.
Main Results:
- Patients with PD exhibited significantly lower assertiveness compared to control subjects.
- A negative correlation was found between assertiveness levels and PD symptom severity.
- Unassertiveness was strongly associated with a diagnosis of agoraphobia (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Assertiveness deficits are a notable characteristic of panic disorder, especially when comorbid with agoraphobia.
- Agoraphobia appears to exacerbate unassertiveness, potentially due to increased dependency and insecurity.
- Clinical interventions for PD, particularly those with agoraphobia, should consider addressing and improving assertiveness skills.
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