The Panic Attack Questionnaire

Abstract

The Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ) is a comprehensive self-report instrument designed to assess the multi-faceted characteristics of panic attacks, often utilized in both clinical and research contexts. The scale establishes a common framework by providing respondents with a formal definition of a panic attack, typically adhering to criteria from the DSM-III at the time of its development. The PAQ systematically collects detailed information regarding the frequency, situational context, and subjective intensity of panic symptoms experienced by the participant. Furthermore, the final section employs open-ended questions to gather qualitative data on critical variables such as medication use, concurrent stress factors, and any prior or ongoing treatment for related illnesses or disorders.

Keywords

Panic attack, assessment, self-report, phenomenology, DSM-III, anxiety, convergent validity, measurement tool.

Authors

Norton, G. R., Harrison, B., Hauch, J., & Rhodes, L.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ) is to provide a standardized, yet detailed, self-report measure for the systematic assessment of panic attacks. It is designed not only to verify the occurrence of panic episodes but also to capture the full scope of the panic experience, including associated physiological symptoms, cognitive appraisals, potential triggers, and the coping mechanisms employed by the individual. This detailed information is crucial for accurately characterizing panic phenomenology, distinguishing between frequent and infrequent episodes, and guiding personalized treatment planning in clinical psychology and psychiatry.

Construct

The PAQ measures the psychological construct of panic phenomenology, which is understood as the subjective experience and observable characteristics surrounding a panic episode. The measurement is multidimensional, focusing on several key components:

• Frequency and Context: Determining how often panic attacks occur and the specific environments or situations in which they arise.
• Symptom Intensity: Quantifying the perceived severity and distress associated with the physiological and cognitive symptoms of panic.
• Associated Factors: Gathering qualitative data on external variables such as stress levels, existing medication regimes, and treatment history, which may influence or co-occur with panic vulnerability.

By defining the construct based on established clinical criteria (e.g., DSM-III), the PAQ ensures that the self-assessment aligns with recognized diagnostic standards while providing rich descriptive data essential for understanding the individual’s experience.

Validity

The psychometric evaluation of the PAQ has demonstrated satisfactory evidence of validity, particularly in its relationship with other established measures of anxiety. The PAQ has been shown to possess good convergent validity, indicating that it measures the same underlying construct as other reliable tools designed to assess anxiety and panic. Specifically, research by Cox, Cohen, Direnfeld, & Swinson (1996) found a significant positive correlation between scores on the PAQ and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). This finding supports the notion that the PAQ is an effective instrument for quantifying the severity of anxiety symptoms related to panic, consistent with measures like the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), which targets core anxiety features.

Reliability

Explicit data detailing the internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) or test-retest reliability of the Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ) was not provided in the primary source documentation. However, given its widespread use in subsequent clinical and academic studies, it is generally inferred that the structured components of the scale possess adequate reliability. For a self-report tool focusing on subjective experiences like symptom intensity and frequency, maintaining high internal consistency across related items is essential to ensure measurement stability over time and across different administrations.

Factor Analysis

The initial structure of the PAQ suggests a clear segmentation into distinct domains (frequency, context, intensity, and open-ended qualitative data). While formal published factor analysis results were not detailed in the foundational literature, the scale’s design implies a multidimensional structure rather than a single unified factor. Future research utilizing techniques such as exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis would be beneficial in empirically validating the separation of these components and confirming whether panic experience is best represented by distinct symptom clusters or a single severity factor.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Questionnaire

Format: Mixed format, combining structured quantitative items (frequency, severity ratings) with open-ended qualitative questions (medication, stress, treatment).

Language Available: English (Primary language of development).

Population Group: Clinical and non-clinical populations experiencing or reporting a history of panic episodes.

Age Group: Adults (Typically 18 and older).

Population Details: Specifically applicable to individuals whose experience ranges from infrequent panic attacks to those meeting criteria for Panic Disorder.

Test Methodology: Typically administered via paper-and-pencil or digitally, requiring participants to reflect on their past panic experiences and associated factors.

Keywords

Self-assessment, clinical psychology, panic disorder, symptom severity, psychometrics, anxiety assessment, treatment history.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1985

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding current licensing and usage fees is not explicitly documented in the foundational references. Given its age and academic origin, it is often available for non-commercial research use, but users should verify permissions with the original authors or their affiliated institutions.

Reference’s

The following references are key to the development and initial validation of the Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ):

• Norton, G. R., Harrison, B., Hauch, J., & Rhodes, L. (1985). Characteristics of people with infrequent panic attacks. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 94, 216-221.
• Cox, B. J., Cohen, E., Direnfeld, D. M., & Swinson, R. P. (1996). Convergent validity of the Panic Attack Questionnaire with the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 10(2), 167-171.

Items of the The Panic Attack Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The specific item content of the Panic Attack Questionnaire (PAQ) was not provided in the source material. However, the instrument itself is available for review.

The original DOCX file containing the scale instrument can be downloaded here: The Panic Attack Questionnaire