Reflection impulsivity in patients with panic disorder

Individuals with panic disorder (PD) often exhibit a proclivity to conclude that an imminent catastrophe looms, drawing such conclusions from limited physical information. Reflection impulsivity, characterized by decision-making without adequate information, likely affects this bias. This study examines the relationship between reflection impulsivity and self-report impulsive features in individuals with PD.

Fifty patients with PD and 50 healthy controls (HC) participated to this study. Reflection impulsivity was assessed using the Information Sampling Task (IST), while trait impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Participants also completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P&A), and Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3).

Individuals with PD exhibited higher reflection impulsivity compared to HC. Increased reflection impulsivity correlated positively with PD severity as assessed by the P&A and cognitive concerns measured by ASI-3. No significant correlations were found with physical or social concerns. PD patients had higher BIS scores than HC. Higher trait impulsivity was linked to recurrent emergency department visits among PD patients.

The findings of this study reveal the notion of increased impulsivity among individuals with PD and its relationship with cognitive concerns, as well as recurrent visits to the emergency department stemming from panic attacks.