Anxiety sensitivity and breath-holding duration in relation to PTSD symptom severity among trauma exposed adults

The present investigation examined the main and interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and behavioral distress tolerance, indexed using the breath-holding task, in relation to PTSD symptom severity among trauma-exposed adults. Participants were 88 adults (63.6% women; Mage = 22.9, SD = 9.1, range = 18–62), recruited from the community, who met DSM-IV-TR PTSD Criterion A for lifetime trauma exposure. Covariates included number of potentially traumatic events, nonclinical panic attack history, and participant sex. Anxiety sensitivity was significantly incrementally associated with PTSD total symptom severity, as well as Avoidance and Hyperarousal symptom severity (p's < .01). Breath-holding duration was not significantly related to PTSD symptom severity (p's > .05). However, breath-holding duration emerged as a significant moderator of the association between anxiety sensitivity and PTSD Avoidance symptom severity, such that lower breath-holding duration exacerbated the effect of heightened anxiety sensitivity with regard to PTSD Avoidance symptom severity.

► Higher levels of anxiety sensitivity are related to greater total, Avoidance and Hyperarousal PTSD symptom severity.
► Main effect of behavioral distress tolerance was not related to PTSD symptoms.
► Distress tolerance moderates the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and PTSD Avoidance symptom severity.