Isolated sleep paralysis and fearful isolated sleep paralysis in outpatients with panic attacksb
Journal of Clinical Psychology December 1, 2010 Brian A Sharpless, Kevin S. McCarthy, Dianne L. Chambless et al.
Among 133 patients seeking treatment for panic disorder, 29.3% had experienced isolated sleep paralysis (ISP) at some point in their lives, 20.3% met criteria for fearful ISP (FISP), and 12.8% had recurrent FISP. Both ISP and FISP were more common among minority patients and those with comorbid conditions. Only FISP was linked to posttraumatic stress disorder, higher body mass, anxiety sensitivity, and greater mood and anxiety disorder symptoms. A new semistructured interview, the Fearful Isolated Sleep Paralysis Interview, was developed to assess these episodes reliably.