Structured and free-recall measures of worry themes: effect of order of presentation on worry report

Structured instruments (SI) or free-recall instruments (FRI) can be used to examine worry themes. In the case where both types are use jointly, order of presentation may influence number and content of free-recall worries. Half of a large undergraduate sample (N = 609) received the SI before the FRI and the other half received them in the opposite order. Highly prevalent worries (i.e., common worries reported by more than 25% of the sample) were more numerous when the FRI was used first. However, moderately prevalent and rare worries (reported by 5% to 24% and 0% to 4% of the sample, respectively) were more numerous when the FRI was administered second. Results are discussed in terms of a possible priming effect produced by SI on moderately prevalent and rare free-recall worries.