title: Characteristics of worry in generalized anxiety disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Groups of clients and community volunteers with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and clients with Panic Disorder were compared to a group with elevated worry but without GAD on a range of measures, to identify individual differences beyond a high propensity to worry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed standardised questionnaires and a behavioural worry task that assesses frequency and severity of negative thought intrusions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to high worriers, clients with GAD had higher scores on trait anxiety, depression, more negative beliefs about worry, a greater range of worry topics, and more frequent and severe negative thought intrusions. Relative to community volunteers with GAD, clients in treatment reported poorer attentional control. Compared to clients with Panic Disorder, clients with GAD had higher trait anxiety, propensity to worry, negative beliefs and a wider range of worry content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results confirmed expectations of group differences based on GAD diagnostic criteria, but also revealed other differences in mood, characteristics of worry, and perceived attentional control that may play a role in the decision to seek treatment.
authors: King's College London, UK. colette.hirsch@kcl.ac.uk
authors: Colette R
authors: CR
authors: Hirsch
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Mathews
authors: Belinda
authors: B
authors: Lequertier
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Perman
authors: Sarra
authors: S
authors: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attentional control; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Metacognitive beliefs; Panic Disorder; Worry
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