Comparison of distress tolerance , anxiety sensitivity and emotional reactivity in individuals s with illness anxiety (IAD) and general anxiety disorder (GAD)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 . Master of Clinical Psychology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

3 Master of Clinical Psychology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Illness anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder are two relatively common disorders that, despite being in two separate diagnostic classes, have many similarities in psychological symptoms. This study was conducted with the aim of comparing these two disorders in the distress tolerance, anxiety sensitivity and emotional reactivity.

Method: The present study was a case-control study. The study sample included 36 individuals with general anxiety, 36 individuals with illness anxiety and 36 normal individuals. Anxiety sensitivity inventory, Distress tolerance scale and Emotional reactivity scale were used to collect data. Data analysis was done using SPSS-19 software and analysis of variance test.

Results: The results showed that individuals with general anxiety and disease anxiety have more anxiety sensitivity and less distress tolerance than normal people (P<0.05). While there was no difference in the level of their emotional reactivity with normal people (F=0.54, P=0.58). Also, the results showed that there is no difference in distress tolerance between the two groups with general anxiety and illness anxiety (P=0.06), but individuals with general anxiety reported more anxiety sensitivity compared to individuals with illness anxiety (0.5 /0>P).

Conclusion: Although anxiety sensitivity plays a more prominent role in generalized anxiety disorder, in general, distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity seem to be common and trans-diagnostic characteristics in psychological disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and illness anxiety.

Keywords

Clinical Psychology and Personality

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 21 January 2024

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics