Health Perception Is a Unique Predictor of Anxiety Symptoms in Non‐Clinical Participants

Abstract

This study evaluated the role of perceived health in predicting anxiety symptoms, bodily vigilance and agoraphobic cognitions among 71 individuals (30 females; mean age 19.9 years, SD=3.1) without a psychiatric history, including non-clinical panic attacks. Results indicated that, relative to anxiety sensitivity, perceived health was a distinct construct that incrementally predicted bodily-oriented catastrophic thinking (8% of unique variance) and heart-focused anxiety (13% of unique variance). Moreover, perceived health significantly incrementally predicted anxious arousal symptoms (9% of unique variance). Results are discussed in relation to the role of perceived health as a cognitive vulnerability factor for anxiety-related problems.