Correlation between anxiety sensitivity and trait anxiety of patients with anxiety disorders
The anxiety sensitivity among patients with anxious disorders are higher than that among normals, which relates to thelevel of anxiety, and the level of anxiety sensitivity relates to anxiety trait partly.
Abstract
Objective:To explore the correlation between anxiety sensitivity and trait anxiety,clinical features of patients with anxiety disorders. Method:We investigated 68 patients with anxiety disorder( anxiety group) and 70 normal individuals( control group) . The anxiety group was separated into the non-remission group Hamilton anxiety scale( HAMA) ≥7,n = 43 and the remission group ( HAMA 7,n = 25) . The anxiety group was assessed by anxiety sensitivity index-revised( ASI-R) ,trait anxiety inventory( part of state-trait anxiety inventory,TAI) and 70 normal controls with ASI-R. Results:The total scores and the factor scores( anxiety of somatic sensations,fear of somatic sensations,fear of cognitive dyscontrol,fear of publicly observable anxiety reactions) of ASI-R were all markedly higher in the patients with anxiety disorders than those of the normal controls ( t = 8. 51,9. 00,8. 15,8. 74,3. 24,respectively; all P 0. 01) . The total scores and some factor scores ( anxiety of somatic sensations,fear of somatic sensations,fear of cognitive dyscontrol) of ASI-R were all markedly higher in remission group than those of the normal controls ( t = 4. 41,3. 37,4. 24,3. 76,respectively; all P 0. 01) ,and all markedly lower than the non-remission group ( t = 3. 30,3. 41,2. 61,2. 78,2. 14,respectively; P 0. 05 or P 0. 01) . According to correlation analysis,the total scores of TAI significantly correlated with the total scores of ASI-R and some factor scores( anxiety of somatic sensations,fear of cognitive dyscontrol) of ASI-R( r = 0. 33,0. 28,0. 40,respectively; P 0. 05 or P 0. 01) . A significantly positive correlation was found between the course of disease and the total scores and some factor scores( fear of cognitive dyscontrol,fear of publicly observable anxiety reactions) of ASI-R ( r = 0. 27,0. 26,0. 31,respectively; all P 0. 05 ) . Conclusion:The anxiety sensitivity among patients with anxious disorders are higher than that among normals, which relates to the level of anxiety,and the level of anxiety sensitivity relates to anxiety trait partly.