Anxiety, personality and anxiety disorders

Abstract

The roles of trait anxiety, locus of control and defense style in the genesis and maintenance of anxiety are described. A model of the genetic and environmental determinants of these three measures is presented. The contributions that such vulnerability factors make to anxiety and the anxiety disorders is estimated and discussed in relation to the issue of co-moribidity and the general neurotic syndrome. Some evidence is presented about the specificity of the various anxiety disorders even though other conditions may have co-occurred, for they are often found to be secondary to the index condition. Such a two-factor theory of neurosis, one that implies both a general vulnerability due to high trait anxiety and poor coping, and an independent but specific vulnerability to a particular disorder, will make definitive research very complex. Aetiological factors or treatments that are believed to be specifically associated with only one disorder will have to be shown to be associated with that disorder alone and not with other anxiety disorders or with asymptomatic normals high on these general vulnerability factors.