Diagnostic criteria- anxiety

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Characterised by the intense, persistent and unreasonable anxiety over everyday things. \

Criteria

Symptoms experienced everyday for several months

Can cause sig distress/impairment to daily functioning.

Diagnosis made when other conditions r eliminated such as panic attacks/social phobia. Symptoms not caused by pre prescribed medication/ drug use

Ppl w disorder have a good insight into their condition

Can affect ability to perform everyday tasks

How do ppl have a good insight?

Know their anxieties are irrational however can’t control their thoughts. Feelings which leads to distress.

Physical symptoms

Muscle aches pains

Insomnia

Digestive problems- constipation/ diarrhoea

Muscular tension

Behavioural symptoms

Irritability

Restless

Affective symptoms

Feels nervous

Cog symptoms

Can’t concentrate

GAD-7

7 item

Self report

4 points scale: 0-3

How often they’ve experienced anxieties in last 2 weeks

Can be used a struc interview schedule

GAD-7 scoring

5/21=mild

10/21=moderate

>15/21= severe

Strengths of GAD-7

Good test-retest reliability- ppt tested on the scale twice one week apart. +ve correlation (+0.83) between pair of scores. Test is reliable + provides meaningful data

Quick + easy to use compared to BIPI. 7 items + excellent validity.

Weakness of GAD-7

Unclear whether it provides accurate reflection of severity of symptoms over time:

Study- one week apart rather than conducting a longitudinal study. Difficult to know if symptoms r likely to get better/worse over time.

Gad-7 shows current mental state- may not be reliable as person should’ve experienced symptoms over several months

Phobia

Intense irrational fear/ anxiety that is considered to be disproportionate to the danger.

Excessive fear/anxiety that occurs when exposed/ in anticipation of specific stimulus

Effect of phobia

Increase in heart rate and blood pressure

Agoraphobia

A persons fear response is triggered by multiple situations from which “escape might be difficult” or help may not be available

Eg: public transport, being in crowds, home alone.

Avoid these situations due to FEAR OF having a PANIC ATTACK/ suffering from other symptoms in public

Endure high-levels of anxiety

Agoraphobia diagnosis

Symptoms for several months

Sig distress

Blood injection injury- BII

Decrease in blood pressure- fainting

72% of ppt- had this phobia since childhood

86% of ppt- this disorder causes sig impairment to daily functioning

Half reported- fainting was common as part of the response

46%/ nearly half cases- had first degree relative w same disorder

Blood injection phobia inventory (BIPI)

18 situations relating to injections/needles/ blood

Some items- situational anxiety- feel/think/behave when acc confronting the situation

Anticipatory anxiety- feel/think/behave leading up to an event

Rate how often they’ve experienced anxieties experience 27 diff cog, biological and behavioural reactions

Rating scale= 0-3

Strengths of BIPI

Valid evidence- phobic symptoms measured in Spanish speaking cultures- strong +ve correlation between scores on BIPI and fear questionnaire (measures phobic symptoms in Elgin’s speakers)

Covers a variety of situations and symptoms- 27 diff cog, behavioural and biological symptoms + 18 diff situations. Total= 486 points. Helpful in designing individualised treatment programmes which focus on patients specific symptoms- more fearful of their own blood or someone else’s

Weakness of BIPI

Subjective- self-report- asks ppl how they THINK they would response in certain situations rather than acc observing their behaviour. Can lie abt symptoms. Affects reliability

Only quantitative data- disorder is complex- questionnaire doesn’t tell us what it’s like to have a disorder/ specific phobia and how symptoms may change over time w treatment