Dispositional mindfulness, interoceptive awareness, and panic-agoraphobic spectrum, in a general population sample

To investigate dispositional mindfulness (DM), interoceptive awareness (AI), and the occurrence of panic-agoraphobic spectrum signs and symptoms in a non-clinical population.

The study involved a general population sample (n = 141), aged between 18 and 40, evaluated with the Panic-Agoraphobic Spectrum Self-Report Lifetime Version (PAS-SR-LT), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA). Instruments were administered with an online procedure (Microsoft Forms). The Bioethics Committee of the University of Pisa approved the study (protocol #0105635/2023).

Panic-agoraphobic spectrum was detected in more than 50% of our sample (PAS-SR Total Score ≥ 35). According to the MAIA assessment, subjects who scored above the PAS-SR threshold were more afraid and less able to distract attention from their bodily sensations. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate if MAIA and MAAS dimensions were able to predict the presence of a more severe panic-spectrum symptomatology. The PAS-SR cut-off score <35 versus ≥35 was adopted as the dependent variable. "Age" and "gender" (categorical), MAAS, and MAIA scores were inserted as covariates. MAAS "Total Score" (OR = .955; CI = .924-.988; p = .007), and MAIA "Not worrying" (OR = .826; CI = .707-.964; p = .016) predicted for a less relevant panic-agoraphobic spectrum phenomenology, resulting as "protective" factors.

Progression from interoceptive processing to mindful abilities to resilience against panic catastrophizing of bodily sensation is far from being clarified. However, our study provides information on a panic-agoraphobic spectrum phenotype characterized by low levels of mindful attitudes and less interoceptive abilities.