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Panic Disorder in African-Americans: Symptomatology and Isolated Sleep Paralysis

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Abstract

While attention has been paid to thestudy of panic disorder (PD) with or withoutagoraphobia among Caucasians, surprisinglylittle empirical research within the UnitedStates has looked at the phenomenology of PDamong minority groups. In this paper wepresent data we have collected and review otherresearch on the phenomenology, social supports,and coping behavior among African-Americanswith panic disorder. Our studies indicate that,in comparison to Caucasians, African-Americanswith PD reported more intense fears of dying orgoing crazy, as well as higher levels ofnumbing and tingling in their extremities. African-Americans reported higher rates ofcomorbid post traumatic disorder and moredepression. African-Americans also usedsomewhat different coping strategies (such asreligiosity and counting one's blessings), lessself-blame, and were somewhat more dissatisfiedwith social supports. The incidence ofisolated sleep paralysis was, as per previousreports, higher in African-Americans. Thesefindings, results of other research, and theimplications for assessment and treatment arediscussed within a semantic network analysis of panic (Hinton and Hinton 2002, thisissue).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Box 1203, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11203

    Steven Friedman

  2. Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY

    Cheryl Paradis

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  1. Steven Friedman
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  2. Cheryl Paradis
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Friedman, S., Paradis, C. Panic Disorder in African-Americans: Symptomatology and Isolated Sleep Paralysis. Cult Med Psychiatry 26, 179–198 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016307515418

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