Differences between smokers and nonsmokers with anxiety disorders
Section snippets
Participants and procedures
The initial sample included 598 patients with anxiety disorders seeking treatment at an urban outpatient anxiety clinic (i.e., the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders; CARD) between September 1996 and October 1998, as previously reported by Baker-Morissette et al. (2004). Prior to being evaluated at CARD, participants completed a telephone screen to exclude current alcohol or substance abuse or dependence (ASAD), active psychosis and current suicidality. As part of their participation in a
Participants
T-tests were used to evaluate potential demographic differences between smokers and nonsmokers with anxiety disorders. As is commonly found in the broader literature, smokers were significantly younger than nonsmokers [30.9 vs. 33.8 years, respectively; t(525) = 2.2, P < .05] and were significantly less educated [14.6 years education (S.D. = 2.7) and 15.8 (2.4) years education, respectively; t(351) = 3.3, P < .01]. Smokers and nonsmokers were similar across other demographic characteristics. Across all
Discussion
Findings summarized here are consistent with epidemiological and clinical data suggesting that smokers and nonsmokers with anxiety disorders may differ in important ways. When collapsing across anxiety disorders, compared to nonsmokers with anxiety disorders, smokers with anxiety disorders were characterized by greater current symptoms including sensitivity to physical sensations of anxiety, anxiety symptoms, depressed mood/negative affect, stress, agoraphobic avoidance and life interference.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by a NIDA grant awarded to Sandra B. Morissette (K23-DA-16376) and an NIMH grant awarded to Timothy A. Brown (R01-MH-39096). We would like to thank Markus Wiegel for his assistance with conducting the retrospective chart reviews of smoking status.
References (52)
- et al.
Panic disorder and cigarette smoking behavior
Comprehensive Psychiatry
(1999) - et al.
Prevalence and correlates of heavy smoking in Vietnam veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder
Addictive Behaviors
(1997) - et al.
Low prevalence of smoking among patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder
Comprehensive Psychiatry
(1999) - et al.
Personality traits and smoking in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder
European Psychiatry
(2000) - et al.
Psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) in clinical samples
Behavior Research and Therapy
(1997) - et al.
Anxiety sensitivity: relationship to negative affect smoking and smoking cessation in smokers with past major depressive disorder
Addictive Behaviors
(2001) - et al.
A psychometric reanalysis of the Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire
Behavior Research and Therapy
(2005) - et al.
Biochemical validation of smoking status: pros, cons, and data from four low-intensity intervention trials
Addictive Behaviors
(1993) - et al.
Association between anxiety disorders and substance use disorders among young persons: results of a 21-year longitudinal study
Journal of Psychiatric Research
(2004) Behavioral pharmacology of cigarette smoking
Advances in Behavioral Pharmacology
(1984)