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Causes of Agoraphobia: The Patient's Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Jane Wardle ,
Peter Hayward ,
Anna Higgitt ,
Chris R. Brewin  and
Jeffrey Gray
Jane Wardle
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
Peter Hayward
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
Anna Higgitt
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
Chris R. Brewin
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
Jeffrey Gray
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
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Extract

Patients' beliefs about the causes of anxiety problems have received comparatively little attention. In the present study, agoraphobic patients rated the contribution of eight factors in causing their condition. They also selected the major cause of their agoraphobia and evaluated that in relation to the elements of attributional style. The most commonly selected major cause was stress, which also attracted the highest average ratings. This was followed in frequency by disposition (being a naturally nervous person), circumstances (staying home too much) and childhood experiences. Depression was associated with stronger beliefs in the contribution of several of the causal factors and with rating the major cause as more stable and global. Anxiety was associated with a stronger belief in medical illness as a cause, and with a lower sense of controllability of the major causes. These results suggest that agoraphobic patients' views of the causes of their condition vary, and could usefully be evaluated in relation to the provision of treatment in order to modify the way treatment options are presented to the patients.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 27 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1997

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