Difference in Anxiety Sensitivity Among Anxiety Disorder Groups / 신경정신의학

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, pSP,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.