Affect intensity: association with anxious and fearful responding to bodily sensations

The present investigation evaluated affect intensity in regard to anxious and fearful responding to a voluntary hyperventilation paradigm. Participants were 90 young adults without a history of Axis I psychopathology or nonclinical panic attacks. The incremental validity of affect intensity was examined relative to gender, negative affectivity, anxiety sensitivity, and anticipatory anxiety. As hypothesized, affect intensity significantly and incrementally predicted the perceived intensity of post-challenge panic-relevant physical and cognitive symptoms but not physiological arousal. Findings are discussed in relation to better understanding the role of affect intensity as a potential risk factor for panic-related problems.