• Anxiety and mood
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2011

Objective : This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of the early maladaptive schemas in patients with panic disorder. Methods : Patients (n=35) included people who had met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for panic disorder. The normal control group (n=35) were those people who had no psychiatric disorder and had never experienced panic attack. The early maladaptive schemas and the severity of depression and anxiety were assessed by the Young Schema Questionnaire Short-form (YSQ-SF), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results : The scores on the STAI-S, STAI-T, and BDI were significantly higher in the patient group. Compared to the control group, the scores of vulnerability to harm and illness, and abandonment/instability schemas were significantly higher in the patient group. In the patient group, defectiveness/shame and subjugation schemas were found to predict BDI, dependent/incompetence, abandonment/instability schemas were found to predict STAI-S, and vulnerability to harm and illness, and abandonment/instability schemas were found to predict STAI-T. In normal controls, failure and insufficient self-control/self-discipline, failure, and emotion inhibition schemas were found to predict BDI, STAI-T, and STAI-S. Conclusions : Vulnerability to harm and illness and abandonment/instability schemas may be characteristic schema in patients with panic disorder.