An examination of generalized anxiety disorder and dysthymia utilizing the Rorschach inkblot method.
This study examined transdiagnostic features of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and dysthymia in an outpatient clinical sample. Fifteen patients who met DSM-IV criteria for GAD and twenty-one patients who met DSM-IV criteria for dysthymia but who did not have comorbid anxiety disorder were evaluated utilizing the Rorschach. Salient clinical variables were then compared. Results showed that patients with GAD scored significantly higher on variables related to cognitive agitation and a desire/need for external soothing. In addition, there was a trend for patients with GAD to produce higher scores on a measure of ruminative focus on negative aspects of the self. Thus, not surprisingly, GAD patients' experienced more distress than the dysthymic patients. The implications of these findings are discussed with regards to better understanding the shared and distinct features of GAD and dysthymia.
Department of Psychological Sciences, Augusta University, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904, USA. Electronic address: jslavinm@augusta.edu.
Jenelle
J
Slavin-Mulford
Department of Psychological Sciences, Augusta University, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904, USA.
Alyssa
A
Clements
Department of Clinical Psychology, Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University, 158 Cambridge Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530, USA.
Mark
M
Hilsenroth
Department of Clinical Psychology, Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University, 158 Cambridge Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530, USA.
Jocelyn
J
Charnas
Nassau University Medical Center, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY 11554, USA.
Jennifer
J
Zodan
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012392:Rorschach Test; D040701:Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute
Comorbidity; Depression; Dysthymia; Generalized anxiety disorder; Rorschach