Nonclinical panic attack history and smoking cessation: an initial examination.

The present study evaluated the association of nonclinical panic attacks among regular smokers with the duration of past quit attempts as well as the type and intensity of DSM-IV smoking withdrawal symptoms. As hypothesized, smokers with a history of panic attacks reported significantly shorter quit attempts compared to their nonpanic counterparts. Additionally, smokers with a history of panic relative to their nonpanic counterparts reported more intense affective reactions during their last quit attempt in regard to anxiety-related but not other types of smoking withdrawal symptomatology. These findings are discussed in regard to the role of negative affect vulnerability factors in smoking cessation with specific reference to panic attacks.