Personality and anxiety disorders: a review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Personality traits and personality disorders are increasingly recognized as significant factors in mental health.
• Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and often co-occur with personality-related difficulties.
• Understanding the interplay between personality and anxiety is crucial for effective treatment and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing research on the relationship between normal personality traits, personality disorder traits, and anxiety disorders.
• To identify key unanswered questions regarding the etiology and manifestation of anxiety disorders in relation to personality.
• To propose future research directions, including genetically informative longitudinal studies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of current research findings.
• Identification of critical research questions.
• Discussion of methodological approaches for future studies, emphasizing longitudinal and genetically informative designs.

Main Results:

• Personality traits, particularly high neuroticism and Cluster C traits, may act as predisposing factors for anxiety disorders.
• Anxiety disorders can influence personality trait assessment, complicating research.
• Shared genetic and environmental factors likely contribute to the co-occurrence of personality traits and anxiety disorders.
• Personality disorder traits may offer additional predictive value for anxiety disorders beyond normal personality traits.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between personality and anxiety disorders is complex, involving predisposition, complication, and shared etiology.
• Future research should employ robust designs to disentangle causal relationships and shared determinants.
• Clarifying these links will enhance our understanding and management of both personality and anxiety disorders.