Personal constructs of anxiety under the 1,5-benzodiazepine derivative clobazam related to trait-anxiety levels of the personality

Abstract

In an initial interview, 20 volunteer subjects provided 32 personal constructs of anxiety, using Kelly's repertory grid technique. The bipolar ends of the anxiety constructs were then separated by 10-point rating scales. Subjects could then indicate the degree of anxiety feeling on their own personal constructs. The 20 subjects were divided into high and low trait-anxiety sub-groups, on the basis of Speilberger trait-anxiety (personality) scores. Subjects were administered acute single doses of 20 mg clobazam or matching placebo, in a counterbalanced double-blind design. Anxiety levels on the individual personal constructs of anxiety were measured 2 h after drug administration. There was a significant ANOVA interaction effect between drug condition and trait-anxiety. Of the ten subjects in the high trait-anxiety sub-group, eight demonstrated reduced levels of personal construct anxiety under clobazam (three significantly). In contrast, of the ten subjects in the low trait-anxiety sub-group, nine demonstrated increased levels of personal construct anxiety (eight significantly). The present results are discussed in relation to previous similar findings. Clobazam and other benzodiazepine derivatives (such as diazepam) are effective anxiolytics with the clinically anxious and with normal volunteers having high trait-anxiety personalities. However, normal subjects with low trait-anxiety personalities often produce paradoxical increases in anxiety feelings.