Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Background: Patients with panic disorder (PD) may experience increased vulnerability to dissociative and anxious phenomena in the presence of repeated traumatic events, and these may be risk factors for the development of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). The present study aims to find...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/3/166 |
| _version_ | 1797242085528567808 |
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| author | Martina D’Angelo Marta Valenza Anna Maria Iazzolino Grazia Longobardi Valeria Di Stefano Elena Lanzara Giulia Visalli Luca Steardo Caterina Scuderi Luca Steardo |
| author_facet | Martina D’Angelo Marta Valenza Anna Maria Iazzolino Grazia Longobardi Valeria Di Stefano Elena Lanzara Giulia Visalli Luca Steardo Caterina Scuderi Luca Steardo |
| author_sort | Martina D’Angelo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Patients with panic disorder (PD) may experience increased vulnerability to dissociative and anxious phenomena in the presence of repeated traumatic events, and these may be risk factors for the development of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). The present study aims to find out whether the presence of cPTSD exacerbates anxiety symptoms in patients suffering from panic disorder and whether this is specifically associated with the occurrence of dissociative symptoms. Methods: One-hundred-and-seventy-three patients diagnosed with PD were recruited and divided into two groups based on the presence (or absence) of cPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) scale. Dissociative and anxious symptoms were assessed using the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), respectively. Results: Significant differences in re-experienced PTSD (<i>p</i> < 0.001), PTSD avoidance (<i>p</i> < 0.001), PTSD hyperarousal (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and DSO dysregulation (<i>p</i> < 0.001) were found between the cPTSD-positive and cPTSD-negative groups. A statistically significant association between the presence of cPTSD and total scores on the HAM-A (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and CDS (<i>p</i> < 0.001) scales was found using regression analysis. Conclusions: This study highlights the potential link between dissociative symptoms and a more severe clinical course of anxiety-related conditions in patients with PD. Early intervention programs and prevention strategies are needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:33:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6b1da2b4ebd4aca8af76acd428d7cb5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:33:37Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6b1da2b4ebd4aca8af76acd428d7cb52024-03-27T13:21:23ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-02-0114316610.3390/bs14030166Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderMartina D’Angelo0Marta Valenza1Anna Maria Iazzolino2Grazia Longobardi3Valeria Di Stefano4Elena Lanzara5Giulia Visalli6Luca Steardo7Caterina Scuderi8Luca Steardo9Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyPsychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyPsychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyPsychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Clinical Psychology, University Giustino Fortunato, 82100 Benevento, ItalyPsychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyPsychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyBackground: Patients with panic disorder (PD) may experience increased vulnerability to dissociative and anxious phenomena in the presence of repeated traumatic events, and these may be risk factors for the development of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). The present study aims to find out whether the presence of cPTSD exacerbates anxiety symptoms in patients suffering from panic disorder and whether this is specifically associated with the occurrence of dissociative symptoms. Methods: One-hundred-and-seventy-three patients diagnosed with PD were recruited and divided into two groups based on the presence (or absence) of cPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) scale. Dissociative and anxious symptoms were assessed using the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), respectively. Results: Significant differences in re-experienced PTSD (<i>p</i> < 0.001), PTSD avoidance (<i>p</i> < 0.001), PTSD hyperarousal (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and DSO dysregulation (<i>p</i> < 0.001) were found between the cPTSD-positive and cPTSD-negative groups. A statistically significant association between the presence of cPTSD and total scores on the HAM-A (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and CDS (<i>p</i> < 0.001) scales was found using regression analysis. Conclusions: This study highlights the potential link between dissociative symptoms and a more severe clinical course of anxiety-related conditions in patients with PD. Early intervention programs and prevention strategies are needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/3/166panic disordercomplex posttraumatic disorderdissociationanxiety |
| spellingShingle | Martina D’Angelo Marta Valenza Anna Maria Iazzolino Grazia Longobardi Valeria Di Stefano Elena Lanzara Giulia Visalli Luca Steardo Caterina Scuderi Luca Steardo Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Behavioral Sciences panic disorder complex posttraumatic disorder dissociation anxiety |
| title | Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| title_full | Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| title_fullStr | Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| title_short | Unraveling the Complexity: Exploring the Intersection of Panic Disorder, Dissociation, and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| title_sort | unraveling the complexity exploring the intersection of panic disorder dissociation and complex post traumatic stress disorder |
| topic | panic disorder complex posttraumatic disorder dissociation anxiety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/3/166 |
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