This study evaluated a theoretical hierarchical relationship among the general anxiety vulnerability variable of neuroticism, the specific vulnerability variables of anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty, and variables reflecting specific anxiety foci including panic symptoms, health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and generalized anxiety/worry. Questionnaires assessing these variables were administered to a non-clinical sample of 91 first-year psychology students (64.8% women). Path analysis results were highly consistent with the hypothesized hierarchical model. Neuroticism was found to have a significant direct effect on both anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. Both neuroticism and anxiety sensitivity had direct significant effects on panic symptoms, neuroticism and intolerance of uncertainty both made significant direct contributions to the prediction of worry, and neuroticism made a significant direct contribution to the prediction of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Contrary to the hypothesized model, anxiety sensitivity but not neuroticism uniquely predicted health anxiety. The results of this study provide initial empirical evidence for a hierarchical relationship among general and specific vulnerabilities, and specific anxiety manifestations.

This study served to replicate and extend our previously obtained hierarchical model of the relationships among general anxiety vulnerabilities, specific anxiety vulnerabilities and specific anxiety manifestations including panic symptoms, health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and worry. Questionnaires assessing these variables, as well as positive affectivity and depressiveness, were administered to 125 outpatients seeking treatment for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder. The results, using a clinical sample, were highly consistent with the hierarchical model obtained in the previous study using a student sample. A more elaborate model, based on published theoretical and empirical evidence, was identified and tested, and similar results were obtained. Negative affectivity had expected direct positive effects on all of the specific anxiety and depression manifestations, with the exception of health anxiety, which showed a negative relationship, and OCD symptoms, which showed no relationship. Positive affectivity was found to be a specific risk factor for depression, while intolerance of uncertainty was found to be a specific risk factor for worry and depression. Finally, anxiety sensitivity appears to be a significant risk factor for panic and health anxiety.

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This study compared self and observer ratings of social performance and anxiety among individuals with social anxiety disorder, nonclinical controls, and participants with dysthymia serving as clinical controls. The purpose was to elucidate whether self-perceptions of individuals with social anxiety disorder reflect observable performance and anxiety differences, negative self-perceptions, or an interaction of the two. Participants engaged in three role-played interactions, and self and observer ratings of performance and anxiety were obtained. In general, self-ratings of anxiety and performance were more negative (greater anxiety and poorer performance) than were observer ratings. Interactions of rating source and diagnosis indicated the discrepancy between self and observer ratings of both anxiety and performance was significantly greater among participants with social anxiety disorder. Observers, however, generally noted differences across the groups in both anxiety and performance. The discrepancies between self and observer ratings of anxiety were related to negative evaluation fears and negative thought patterns, while performance discrepancies were related to negative thought patterns. Treatment implications are discussed. Previous research has suggested that impressions of one's own social interactions tend to differ considerably from how others view the interactions. For example, Nelson, Hayes, Felton, and Jarrett (1985) found that college students consistently underrated their social