The comparison of illness anxiety disorder with panic disorder based on meta-diagnostic cognitive structures: Pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity

Given the high coexistence of panic disorder and illness anxiety disorder, this study aimed to compare illness anxiety disorder with panic disorder based on pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity. The research followed a causal-comparative method, and the population included all patients with panic disorder and anxiety disorder referred to psychiatric and psychological clinics in Urmia city in 2023. The sample included 22 patients with panic disorder and 22 patients with illness anxiety disorder, selected in a non-random and purposeful manner. The research tools employed were Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) (Taylor Cox, 1998) and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (Sullivan et al., 1995). Data analysis was conducted using multivariate analysis of variance in SPSS software version 26. The results of variance analysis indicated a significant difference between the two groups—panic disorder and illness anxiety disorder—in terms of anxiety sensitivity and catastrophizing structures. According to the research findings, anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing are common cognitive constructs in both panic disorder and illness anxiety disorder. However, individuals with panic disorder exhibited significantly greater anxiety sensitivity.