Pathological worry in depressed and anxious patients

J Anxiety Disord. 2003;17(5):533-46. doi: 10.1016/s0887-6185(02)00246-3.

Abstract

Anxious apprehension is present in all anxiety disorders and concerns have been raised that worry is not confined to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The aims of the present project were three-fold. First, we reexamined whether the level of pathological worry is higher in patients with GAD than other anxiety disorders. Second, we compared worry scores of patients with "pure" GAD, "pure" MDD, and MDD with comorbid GAD. And third, to examine whether worry is specific to psychopathology in general rather than anxiety or depression, we included a control group (psychiatric outpatients without an affective or anxiety disorder). Twelve hundred outpatients were interviewed and completed the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) upon presentation for treatment. Patients with "pure" GAD had the highest scores. Depressed patients were similar to those with anxiety disorders other than GAD, and the control group showed worrying similar to that in general population and nonanxious samples.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Arousal*
  • Comorbidity
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / diagnosis*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / epidemiology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / epidemiology
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / psychology
  • Panic Disorder / diagnosis
  • Panic Disorder / epidemiology
  • Panic Disorder / psychology
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Phobic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Phobic Disorders / epidemiology
  • Phobic Disorders / psychology
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Reference Values
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology