Difference in Anxiety Sensitivity Among Anxiety Disorder Groups

An, Jun Beom; Kim, Ji Hae; Kang, Eun Ho; Yu, Bum Hee

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
: The present study aimed to compare anxiety sensitivity among anxiety disorder groups, and to examine the relationships between lower-order factors of anxiety sensitivity and each anxiety disorder.
METHODS
: Three hundred and twenty four normal control subjects and 212 patients with anxiety disorders were enrolled in this study. All subjects completed a psychometric assessment package including the Korean Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (ASI-R) test. Statistical analysis of the two groups was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, and comparison of anxiety sensitivity amongthe anxiety-disorder groups (panic disorder-PD, general anxiety disorder-GAD, social phobia- SP, obsessive-compulsive disorder-OCD) was investigated using Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
: All anxiety disorder groups showed higher total scores of the ASI-R than did the normal control group (Z=-13.724, p<.001), and the mean total score of the ASI-R in the panic disorder group was the highest among the anxiety disorder groups. The mean score of each lower-order factor of the ASI-R in each anxiety disorder group was higher than that of the normal control group and there were statistically significant differences in fear of cardiovascular symptoms (PD,GAD>SP,OCD), fear of respiratory symptoms (PD>GAD, SP,OCD), and fear of publicly observable anxiety reactions (SP>PD,OCD) among the anxiety disorder groups.
CONCLUSION
: These results suggest that anxiety sensitivity reflects vulnerability to anxiety disorders, and that lower-order factors of the ASI-R may help in the differential diagnosis of anxiety disorders.