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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Assessing anxiety and its correlates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: The state-trait anxiety inventory
Mattia Siciliano1,2, Luigi Trojano2, Francesca Trojsi1
1Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences - MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Introduction:
We evaluated: (1) psychometric properties of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI Form Y); (2) clinical correlates of state and trait anxiety; (3) associations of anxiety with quality of life (QoL) dimensions.
Methods:
We assessed 159 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on STAI Form Y and on tests and questionnaires for depression, apathy, QoL, and cognitive abilities.
Results:
Clinically diagnosed anxiety (by Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory) occurred in 30 (19%) patients. STAI Form Y fitted a 2-factor structure and showed good psychometric properties. State and trait anxiety were weakly associated with female sex, bulbar functional decay, and cognitive decline in language and memory; trait anxiety was associated with lower educational attainment and poorer scores on visuospatial tasks. State and trait anxiety were associated with poorer physical and psychosocial QoL dimensions.
Conclusions:
Anxiety is tightly associated with QoL in ALS, and can be reliably assessed by STAI Form Y. Muscle Nerve, 2019.
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