Comparison of Distress Tolerance, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Emotional Reactivity in Individuals 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.

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 to compare these two disorders in terms of 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. Data was collected using the Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory, Distress Tolerance Scale, and Emotional Reactivity Scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-19 software and the analysis of variance test.
Results: The study revealed that individuals with general anxiety and illness anxiety exhibit higher levels of anxiety sensitivity and lower distress tolerance compared to individuals without these conditions (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in emotional reactivity between the two groups (F = 0.54, P = 0.58). Additionally, the findings indicated no variance in distress tolerance between individuals with general anxiety and illness anxiety (P = 0.06). Notably, individuals with general anxiety reported higher anxiety sensitivity levels than those with illness anxiety (P > 0.5).
Discussion and 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

References

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