Preliminary analysis of characteristics of coping in a sample of outpatient with anxiety disorders

Abstract

Introduction

The ways of coping with problems and emotions are particularly important in anxiety disorders. It is also likely that subjective functional styles help identify the mode of presentation of these disorders, regardless of diagnosis psychopathology.

Objectives

Clinical and functional investigation of outpatients attending a third-level Anxiety Disorders Unit.

Aims

To identify the most employed coping strategies and investigate whether different coping styles are linked to specific expressions of psychopathology by means of a cross-correlation analysis between dimensional measures of coping and characteristics of psychopathology.

Methods

We administered a set of instruments including SCL-90-R and Brief-COPE to 172 patients; categorical diagnoses according to DSM-IV-TR were as follows: GAD 80 (46.5%), 33 PD (19.2%), other miscellaneous 59 (34.3%). The statistical analyses of correlation between COPE and SCL scores were performed by means of Spearman's Rho.

Results

The most represented (mean score >5) coping strategies include: active coping, planning, self-blame, instrumental support, emotional support, self-distraction, acceptance, venting. Venting, denial, behavioural disengagement, and use of emotional support, show positive correlations (p ≤ 0.04) with anxiety, phobic anxiety and GSI; self-blame with anxiety and GSI. Conversely, humour correlates (p ≤ 0.04) negatively with anxiety and GSI.

Conclusions

Correlations between high scores of GSI and specific coping strategies suggest possible mechanisms of interaction between functioning styles and expressions of psychopathology. The interpretation of these findings requires further investigation of interactive mechanisms, taking into account phases of activity or remission of the clinical syndrome.