Anxiety sensitivity prospectively predicts pandemic-related distress

Background: Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a well-studied transdiagnostic risk construct that is believed to amplify responses to many forms of stress. The COVID-19 pandemic is a broad stressor with significant physical and social threats. In the current study, we were interested in ascertaining the degree to which AS would relate to distress and disability in the context of COVID-19. We hypothesized that AS would be associated with increased distress and disability. Moreover, we hypothesized that AS would be uniquely predictive while controlling for other relevant risk factors such as age, race, and perceived local COVID-19 infection rates.

Method: Participants (N = 249) were U.S. adults assessed using online data resourcing and re-assessed one month later.

Results: At the first time point, during the beginning phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, AS was significantly related to COVID-19 distress and disability with a moderate effect size. AS was longitudinally associated with higher COVID-19 worry and depression.

Limitations: Our findings are limited by the use of a relatively small online sample. Additionally, assessment of pre-pandemic and post-pandemic symptoms and functioning would be beneficial for future research.

Conclusions: Taken together, the current study provided evidence consistent with AS as a causal risk factor for the development of distress and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.