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Distinguishing Dimensions of Anxiety and Depression

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Abstract

Symptom covariation and lack of symptom specificity have proven to be complicating factors in research on the emotional, cognitive, and physiologic characteristics of anxiety and depression. Numerous attempts have been made to investigate the unique and overlapping features of anxiety and depression. Of interest in the present study were potential distinctions among proposed types of anxiety and depression. A variety of self-report measures were administered to 783 college students. Correlational analyses and confirmatory factor analyses converged in suggesting that anxious arousal (somatic anxiety) and anxious apprehension (worry) represent distinct affective dimensions that can be distinguished from depression and negative affect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

    Jack B. Nitschke

  2. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois

    Wendy Heller

  3. Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, North Chicago

    Jennifer C. Imig

  4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois

    Roderick P. McDonald

  5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois

    Gregory A. Miller

Authors
  1. Jack B. Nitschke
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  2. Wendy Heller
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  3. Jennifer C. Imig
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  4. Roderick P. McDonald
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  5. Gregory A. Miller
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Nitschke, J.B., Heller, W., Imig, J.C. et al. Distinguishing Dimensions of Anxiety and Depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research 25, 1–22 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026485530405

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