Abstract

WOOD, Cristina  and  CANO VINDEL, Antonio. Hyperventilation and Panic Disorder in the Light of Cognitive Aproach. Clínica y Salud [online]. 2009, vol.20, n.1, pp.57-66. ISSN 2174-0550.

Aimed at inducing high levels of physiological activity, the use of voluntary hyperventilation (VH) as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of panic disorder has spread among clinical psychologists over the last few years, in spite of its limitations. However, VH does not generate anxiety in all patients. Noteworthy individual differences associated to different factors, have accounted for this. Literature has focused on the predictive validity of a number of psychological constructs, i.e., sensitivity to anxiety, trait anxiety, and anxiety level within the three response systems -cognitive, physiological and behavioral/motor. These factors may explain differences in the anxiety experience during VH tests both in clinical and non-clinical population. Results show that VH interoceptive exposure treatment for patients with panic should be revised and probably replaced by a more cognitive oriented intervention.

Keywords : Voluntary hyperventilation; challenge tests; anxiety sensitivity; trait anxiet; cognitive biases; panic disorder.

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