Intrinsic personality traits in patients with generalized anxiety disorder

Wei QU; Yuanyuan QIN

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

According to Eysenck's theory of personality, trait level belongs tolow-grade personality, which can better reflect characteristics of individual habitual behavior reaction.

OBJECTIVE:

To explore the correspondent relationship between generalized anxiety patient and internal personality trait through adopting Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PFQ) and Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to test generalized anxiety patients.

DESIGN:

A transectional sampling survey and data was compared with that of health adult norms.

SETTING:

Counseling clinic of out-patient in the Southwest Hospital of the Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 100 patients with generalized anxiety disorders who visited the clinical counseling clinic of out-patient in the Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA for the first time from August 2003 to March 2004 were included, including 40 men and 60 women.

METHODS:

Catell's 16PFQ was tested with Psychometric Toolbox Standard Edition V2.3 developed by the Insight Group of Peking University.The patients filled out the forms independently after the method being explained clearly by professional staff members. These 16 personality factors included warmth (reserved vs. warm; Factor A), reasoning (concrete vs.abstract; Factor B), emotional stability (reactive vs. emotionally stable;Factor C), dominance (deferential vs. dominant; Factor E), liveliness (serious vs. lively; Factor F), rule-consciousness (expedient vs. rule-conscious;Factor G), social boldness (shy vs. socially bold; Factor H), sensitivity (utilitarian vs. sensitive; Factor I), vigilance (trusting vs. vigilant; Factor L),abstractedness (grounded vs. abstracted; Factor M), privateness (forthright vs. private; Factor N), apprehension (self-assured vs. apprehensive; Factor O), openness to change (traditional vs. open to change; Factor Q1), self-reliance (group-oriented vs. self-reliant; Factor Q2), perfectionism (tolerates disorder vs. perfectionistic; Factor Q3), tension (relaxed vs. tense; Factor Q4). Standard score of each observed index was measured automatically by computer measuring system. The standard score in Zung's SAS was (65.31±7.90).MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Comparison of standard scores in Cattell's 16PF between anxiety group and health adult norms.tell's 16PFQ for patients with generalized anxiety disorders Scores in A,I, L, M, O, Q4 factor of anxiety patients were higher than that of health adult norms (6.19±1.69, 5.49±1.75;6.63±1.46, 5.53±1.84;5.84±1.52,5.47 ± 1.78; 6.22 ± 1.54,5.42 ± 1.61; 8.32 ±1.54,5.48 ±1.81; 8.10 ±1.27,5.60±1.99,(t=-2.03 to -13.15, P＜ 0.05-0.01)) while scores in B, C, E, F, G H,Q1, Q2, Q3 were significantly lower (5.22±1.46, 5.93±1.97;3.48±1.68,5.51±1.75;4.86±1.60, 5.53±1.83;5.01±2.22, 5.50±1.89;4.42±1.60,5.54 ±1.66 ;4.58±1.66, 5.56±1.84 ;4.64±1.29, 5.50±1.72 ;4.73±1.80, 5.50±1.72;and F had a significantly negative correlation with scores in Zung's SAS (r=-0.273,P ＜ 0.01 ;r=-0.217,P ＜ 0.05;r=-0.217,P ＜ 0.05) while factor Q4 had a significantly positive correlation(r=0.248 ,P ＜ 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

The development of anxiety with high scores in C, E, F and Q4 correlates with self-personality trait. These 4 personality traits may be susceptible factors in the development of anxiety disorder and may also affect its severity.