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Worry versus anxiety. Is there really a difference?

B J Zebb1, J G Beck

  • 1Texas Tech University, Department of Psychology, Lubbock 79409-2051, USA.

Behavior Modification
|May 6, 1998
PubMed
Summary
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This study differentiates worry from anxiety in university students. While both are linked, anxiety relates more to negative emotions, and worry to problem-solving skills.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Worry and anxiety are often conflated but may represent distinct psychological constructs.
  • Understanding their differences is crucial for accurate assessment and intervention.
  • Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding their unique correlates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the similarities and distinctions between worry and anxiety.
  • To compare worry and anxiety in relation to negative affect, personal control, and problem-solving style.
  • To explore how restricting the definition of anxiety to somatic symptoms influences these relationships.

Main Methods:

  • A sample of 189 university students completed measures of worry, anxiety, negative affect, personal control, and problem-solving style.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Three worry scales and four anxiety measures were utilized.
  • Correlational analyses were performed to compare the constructs.

    • Main Results:

    • Worry and anxiety measures were highly correlated.
    • Negative affect was more strongly associated with anxiety than worry.
    • Problem-solving style was more strongly associated with worry than anxiety.
    • Personal control showed no differential relationship.
    • When anxiety was defined as somatic anxiety, negative affect, perceived problem-solving abilities, and personal control were more strongly related to worry.

    Conclusions:

    • Worry and anxiety, while related, have distinct correlates.
    • Negative affect is a more prominent feature of anxiety, whereas problem-solving style is more characteristic of worry.
    • The findings have implications for the conceptualization and measurement of these constructs in clinical and research settings.