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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are positively related to suicide risk among firefighters. One mechanism that may account for this relationship is anxiety sensitivity (AS) cognitive concerns-the fear that cognitive symptoms of anxiety will have catastrophic consequences. We sought to replicate the mediating effect of AS cognitive concerns on the relationship between PTSD symptoms and suicide risk among 214 trauma-exposed male firefighters with non-zero suicide risk. Bootstrap mediation analyses tested AS cognitive concerns as a statistical mediator of PTSD symptoms (total and symptoms clusters scores) and suicide risk, controlling for depression symptoms and relevant demographic variables. AS cognitive concerns statistically mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms (total score, as well as intrusion, avoidance, and arousal-reactivity symptoms clusters) and suicide risk; however, the reverse was also true. AS cognitive concerns may confer risk for suicide among trauma-exposed firefighters. Firefighters may benefit from AS-specific interventions, which are shown to reduce PTSD symptoms and suicidality.

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Background Intensive residential treatment (IRT) is effective for severe, treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We sought to characterize predictors and course of response to IRT. Methods Admission, monthly, and discharge data were collected on individuals receiving IRT. We examined the association between baseline characteristics and percent change in OCD symptoms as measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) using linear regression. We compared baseline characteristics of IRT responders (≥35% reduction in Y-BOCS) versus non-responders, and of patients who did versus those who did not achieve wellness (Y-BOCS ≤12) using non-parametric tests. To examine the course of OCD severity over time, we used linear mixed-effects models with randomly varying intercepts and slopes. Results We evaluated 281 individuals admitted to an IRT program. Greater baseline Y-BOCS scores were associated with a significantly greater percent reduction in Y-BOCS scores (β = −1.49 ([95% confidence interval: −2.06 to −0.93]; P<.001). IRT responders showed significantly greater baseline Y-BOCS scores than non-responders (mean (SD) 28 (5.2) vs. 25.6 (5.8); P=.003) and lower past-year alcohol use scores than non-responders (1.4 (1.9) vs. 2.1 (2.2); P=.01). Participants who achieved wellness displayed lower hoarding factor scores than those who did not (5 (4.6) vs. 9.53 (6.3); P=.03). OCD symptoms declined rapidly over the first month but more slowly over the remaining two months. Conclusions Higher baseline OCD severity, lower past-year alcohol use, and fewer hoarding symptoms predicted better response to IRT. IRT yielded an initial rapid reduction in OCD symptoms, followed by a slower decline after the first month.