Affective Styles in Panic Disorder and Specific Phobia: Changes Through Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Prediction of Remission.

Affective styles appear to be relevant to the development of psychopathology, especially anxiety disorders. The aim of the current study was to investigate changes in affective styles in patients with panic disorder and specific phobia, as a result of undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy, and to identify a possible link between certain affective styles and remission. The sample consisted of outpatients (N = 101) suffering from panic disorder, specific phobia, or agoraphobia who completed the Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ) before and after therapy, as well as at a 6-month follow-up assessment. Multivariate analyses of variance were conducted to test for changes due to therapy. Logistic regression analyses were calculated to test for the impact of affective styles on remission from anxiety disorders, and hierarchical regression analyses were calculated to examine the association between changes in affective styles and symptom reduction. Results indicated significant increases on the ASQ subscales adjusting and tolerating after therapy. Concealing did not decrease significantly after therapy. In addition, higher scores on adjusting significantly predicted remission from anxiety disorders. Finally, we found a significant association between increases on the adjusting scale and the reduction of anxiety symptoms.