Symptom profiles in depersonalization and anxiety disorders: an analysis of the Beck Anxiety Inventory.
BACKGROUND
Depersonalization disorder (DPD) entails distressing alterations in self-experiencing. However, it has long been recognized that depersonalisation symptoms occur in other disorders, particularly anxiety and panic. One strand of research proposes that depersonalization phenomenology arises through altered autonomic arousal in response to stress.


METHODS
We sought to examine profiles of anxiety symptoms through a secondary data analysis of individual items and factor subscales on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), comparing two relatively large patient samples with DPD or with a variety of anxiety conditions, respectively. The DPD sample (n = 106) had a lower overall BAI score than the combined anxiety disorders group (n = 525).


RESULTS
After controlling for this as well as for potential confounders such as age and gender, the DPD group presented significantly lower scores on the panic subscale, marginally lower scores on the autonomic subscale and significantly higher scores on the neurophysiological subscale of the BAI.


CONCLUSIONS
These differences imply similarities between the cognitive components of DPD and anxiety disorders while physiological experiences diverge. The findings encourage future research looking at direct physiological measures and longitudinal designs to confirm the mechanisms underlying different clinical manifestations of anxiety.
Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
Steffen
S
Nestler
Emma-Louise
EL
Jay
Mauricio
M
Sierra
Anthony S
AS
David
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires