Orthostatically induced panic attacks among cambodian refugees: Flashbacks, catastrophic cognitions, and associated psychopathology

Consecutive Cambodian refugees (N = 100) attending a psychiatric clinic were assessed for the presence and severity of current orthostatic panic (OP), which is defined as panic triggered by standing up. The patients with current OP (n = 36) had significantly greater psychopathology than patients without current OP. During OP, trauma associations and catastrophic cognitions were common. Negative affectivity's impact on OP severity was significantly mediated (Sobel test; Baron & Kenny, 1986) by orthostasis-associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions. In the care of traumatized Cambodian refugees, OP-including associated flashbacks and catastrophic cognitions-should be specifically assessed and treated.