THE ROLE OF COGNITIVE-AFFECTIVE SYSTEM AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN PREDICTION OF SYMPTOMS SEVERITY FOR GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER

Cognitive-affective factors and demographical characteristics have an important
role in prediction of symptoms severity and quality of life in generalized anxiety disorder. The purpose
of this study was to investigate the role of cognitive-affective system and demographic characteristics
in the severity of symptoms for generalized anxiety disorder.
Materials & Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive study, 128 outpatients with generalized anxiety
disorder who attended three psychiatric outpatient's clinics of Tehran were selected by convenience
sampling. Data were collected by The structured clinical interview, The Brief Core Schema Scales,
The Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scale, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Penn State Worry
Questionnaire, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-revised, and demographical questionnaire and then analyzed
by multiple regression analysis in stepwise method with PASW software.
Results: Feeling worried, anxiety sensitivity and socio-economic status have important predictive role
in severity of symptoms for generalized anxiety disorder (F(3,124)=60.85, p<0.001). These three
variables were predicted 0.58 variation in symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (R2=0.58). Age,
gender, literacy, intolerance of uncertainty, emotional schema and cognitive-behavioral avoidance
didn’t have significant predictive role in prediction of severity of symptoms in generalized anxiety
disorder (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Regarding the important role of feeling worried, anxiety sensitivity, and socio-economic
status in prediction of symptoms severity for generalized anxiety disorder, it is necessity to pay
attention to tailored interventions in these symptoms for basic quality of life promotion in these
patients