Dimensions of Anxiety Sensitivity and Their Relationship to Nonclinical Panic

The goal of the present study was to examine the factor structure of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; S. Reiss, R. A. Peterson, D M. Gursky, & R. J. McNally, 1986) and the replicability, reliability, and validity of its dimensions in a nonclinical sample. One-thousand-and-seventy-one undergraduate volunteers completed the ASI and a modified version of the Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ; G. R. Norton, J. Dorward, & B. J. Cox, 1986). A principal components analysis, using oblique rotation and parallel analysis, yielded three ASI dimensions that were highly consistent with those reported in previously published studies. Individuals classified as nonclinical panickers scored higher than nonpanickers on the Physical Concerns and Cognitive Concerns subscales of the ASI. Although spontaneous panic attacks were not significantly related to scores on any ASI scale, the occurrence of panic attacks in the past month was related to higher scores on the Cognitive Concerns subscale. The results are discussed in terms of cognitive theories of panic, and limitations of the present study and directions for future research are addressed.