(PS3-4) Anxiety Sensitivity and Emotion Regulation Difficulties as Moderators of Age and Panic Symptoms in Youth

Abstract Text: Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks that produce intense fear and discomfort. Although panic disorder prevalence is low among youth, panic symptoms can emerge in young children and may increase throughout adolescence. Since panic disorder involves the fear of physical symptoms of anxiety and an individual’s difficulty managing that fear, anxiety sensitivity (AS) and emotion regulation (ER) are pertinent when studying the development of panic. This study examined the relationship between youth’s age and panic symptoms (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders-Parent; SCARED-P) and whether this effect was moderated by AS (Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index- Parent; CASI- P) and ER difficulties (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale- Parent; DERS-P), respectively. Participants included 258 parents of non-autistic children recruited via an online study (Parents’ Understanding of Managing Anxieties study; PUMA). Mean child age was 10.3 years (SD = 3.01); 49.6% (n = 128) of the participants were parents of children (aged 6 –10 years) while 50.4% (n = 130) were parents of adolescents (aged 11–15 years). The sample was 84.1% White. A moderation analysis was conducted with child’s age as the predictor (children vs. adolescent), AS as the moderator, and panic symptoms as the outcome. Results suggested that the overall model was statistically significant, (R² = 0.67, p < .001), indicating that 67% of the variance in panic symptoms was explained by age and AS. In this model, the interaction (Age x AS) was significant, B = .11, SE = 0.04, t = 2.62, p = .009, suggesting that AS moderated the effect of age on panic symptoms. Another moderation analysis was conducted with age as the predictor, ER difficulties as the moderator, and panic symptoms as the outcome. Results also suggested an overall significant effect for ER difficulties (R² = 0.23, p < .001), indicating that 23% of the variance in panic symptoms was accounted for by child’s age and ER difficulties. Regression results revealed that age (B = 1.59, SE = 0.49, t = 3.26, p = .001) and ER difficulties (B = 0.05, SE = 0.02, t = 2.93, p = .004) positively predicted panic symptoms. In this model, the interaction (Age x ER difficulties) was significant, B = 0.06, SE = 0.02, t = 2.74, p = .007, suggesting that ER difficulties moderated the effect of age on panic symptoms. Data collection is ongoing, and updated results will be presented at the conference. Overall, both AS and ER difficulties were significant (independent) moderators of child’s age and panic symptoms. These results suggest that as children age, they may be at risk of experiencing panic symptoms when presenting with high levels of AS. Adolescents may also be at risk of panic symptoms when they experience moderate and high levels of ER difficulties. Clinical interventions addressing ER difficulties and AS (fear of anxiety symptoms) may be critical in preventing the development of panic disorder in youth. This study added to the literature on children’s panic, which is an area that is not well-studied compared to adult research. This study also delineates the importance of understanding the factors that increase an individual’s vulnerability to panic as they transition from childhood to adolescence.