Research & Publications

Research Interests

Dr. Broman-Fulks’ research program currently involves the following lines of research:

Anxiety Sensitivity
Dr. Broman-Fulks’ first, and primary, line of research investigates vulnerability processes that increase risk for the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Much of this research is focused on anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety-related sensations), the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and various anxiety disorders, and interventions designed to reduce anxiety sensitivity. Most recently, Dr. Broman-Fulks’ laboratory has been conducting a series of studies investigating physical exercise as a potential intervention for high anxiety sensitivity. Results of these studies appear to indicate that exercise may be an effective, cost-efficient way of reducing anxiety sensitivity and associated risk for Axis I psychological disorders.

Taxometrics
Dr. Broman-Fulks is also interested in using quantitative methods, such as taxometric procedures, to examine the latent (i.e., categorical versus dimensional) structure of various psychological phenomena. This type of research is aimed at improving the conceptualization, diagnosis, treatment, and investigation of these phenomena. Recent phenomena Dr. Broman-Fulks has used taxometric analyses to investigate include anxiety sensitivity, posttraumatic stress reactions, aversion, disgust sensitivity, and perfectionism.

Representative Publications

Broman-Fulks, J. J.,Deacon, B. J., Olatunji, B. O., Bondy, C. L., Abramowitz, J. S., Tolin, D. F. (in press). Categorical or dimensional: A re-analysis of the anxiety sensitivity construct. Behavior Therapy.

David, B., Olatunji, B. O., Armstrong, T., Ciesielski, B., Bondy, C., & Broman-Fulks, J. J. (in press). Incremental specificity of disgust sensitivity in the prediction of obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms: Cross-sectional and prospective approaches. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry.

Longely, S. J., Broman-Fulks, J. J., Calamari, J. E., Noyes, R., Wade, M., & Orlando, C. M. (in press). A taxometric study of hypochondriasis tendencies. Behavior Therapy.

Olatunji, B. O., Broman-Fulks, J. J., Bergman, S. M., Green, B. A., & Zlomke, K. R. (in press). A taxometric investigation of the latent structure of worry: Dimensionality and associations with depression, anxiety, and stress. Behavior Therapy.

Amstadter A. B., Broman-Fulks, J. J., Zinzow, H., Ruggiero, K. J., & Cercone, J. (2009). Internet based interventions for traumatic stress-related mental health problems: A review and suggestions for future research. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 410-420.

Arnau, R. C., Broman-Fulks, J. J., Green, B. A., & Berman, M. E. (2009). The Anxiety Sensitivity Index—Revised: Confirmatory factor analyses, structural invariance in Caucasian and African-American samples, and score reliability and validity. Assessment, 16, 165-180.

Broman-Fulks, J. J., Ruggiero, K. J., Green, B. A., Smith, D.W., Hanson, R. F., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., & Saunders, B. E. (2009). The latent structure of PTSD among adolescents. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 22, 146-152 .

Olatunji, B. O., & Broman-Fulks, J. J. (2009). Latent structure of aversion: Taxometric exploration. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 87-92 .

Broman-Fulks, J. J., Berman, M. E., Martin, H. M., Marsic, A., Harris, J. A. (2009). The phenomenon of declining anxiety sensitivity scores: A controlled investigation. Depression and Anxiety, 26, E1-E9.

Broman-Fulks, J. J., Hill, R. W., & Green, B. A. (in press). Is perfectionism categorical or dimensional? A taxometric analysis. Journal of Personality Assessment, 90, 481-490..

Broman-Fulks, J. J., Green, B. A., Olatunji, B. O., Berman, M. E., Arnau, R. C., Deacon, B. J., & Sawchuk, C. N. (2008). The latent structure of anxiety sensitivity - revisited. Assessment, 15, 188-203.

Broman-Fulks, J. J., & Storey, K. M. (2008). Evaluation of a brief exercise intervention for high anxiety sensitivity. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 21, 117-128.

Olatunji, B. O. & Broman-Fulks, J. J. (2007). A taxometric study of the latent structure of disgust sensitivity: Converging evidence for dimensionality. Psychological Assessment, 19, 437-448 .

Broman-Fulks, J. J. , Ruggiero, K. J., Hanson, R. F., Smith, D. W., Resnick, H. S., Kilpatrick, D. G., & Saunders, B. S. (2007). Sexual assault disclosure in relation to adolescent mental health: Results from the National Survey of Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 260-266.

Broman-Fulks, J. J. , McCloskey, M. S., & Berman, M. E. (2007). Anxiety sensitivity and retaliatory aggressive behavior in research volunteers. Aggressive Behavior, 33, 137-144.

Broman-Fulks, J. J. , Ruggiero, K. J., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., Green, B. A., & Saunders, B. E. (2006). Taxometric investigation of posttraumatic stress disorder: Data from two nationally representative samples. Behavior Therapy, 37, 364-380.

Broman-Fulks, J. J. , Berman, M. E., Rabian, B., & Webster, M. J. (2004). Effects of aerobic exercise on anxiety sensitivity. Behaviour Research and Therapy , 42, 125-136.