Background & Objectives

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by a fear of showing anxiety symptoms, which may manifest in greater physiological sensation (PS) word usage, especially when describing their anxious experiences. However, the role of comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) is unknown. Given blunted physiological arousal in MDD, the SAD only group (SAD) may use more PS words than the comorbid (COM) group with SAD and MDD when discussing anxious memories. Due to more severe symptomology, however, the COM group may use more PS words than the SAD group. We examined these competing hypotheses.

Methods

The SAD (n = 30), COM (n = 19), and control (CTL; n = 30) groups recalled their happiest, saddest, and most anxious events. The proportion of PS words was examined.

Results

The SAD group used significantly more PS words than the CTL group, whose PS words did not differ significantly from the COM group; the SAD group used marginally more PS words than the COM group. Anxious memories contained significantly more PS words than happiest and saddest memories. Happiest and saddest memories did not significantly differ in PS words.

Limitations

The PS words list was created by the authors, and a LIWC dictionary was not used.

Conclusions

Blunted physiological arousal in MDD may have contributed to lower PS word usage in the COM group than the SAD group. Understanding linguistic differences between these groups may provide clinicians with insight into these individuals’ preoccupations with bodily sensations that may maintain or exacerbate symptoms of anxiety.

中文翻译：

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社交焦虑症伴或不伴抑郁症的生理感觉词使用

背景和目标

社交焦虑症 (SAD) 的特征是害怕表现出焦虑症状，这可能表现为更大的生理感觉 (PS) 词使用，尤其是在描述他们的焦虑经历时。然而，共病重度抑郁症 (MDD) 的作用尚不清楚。鉴于 MDD 中的生理唤醒迟钝，在讨论焦虑记忆时，仅 SAD 组 (SAD) 可能比具有 SAD 和 MDD 的共病 (COM) 组使用更多的 PS 词。然而，由于更严重的症状，COM 组可能比 SAD 组使用更多的 PS 词。我们研究了这些相互竞争的假设。

方法

SAD (n = 30)、COM (n = 19) 和控制 (CTL; n = 30) 组回忆起他们最快乐、最悲伤和最焦虑的事件。考察了PS词的比例。

结果

SAD 组使用的 PS 词明显多于 CTL 组，CTL 组的 PS 词与 COM 组没有显着差异；SAD 组使用的 PS 词比 COM 组略多。焦虑的记忆比最快乐和最悲伤的记忆包含的 PS 词要多得多。最快乐和最悲伤的记忆在PS词上没有显着差异。

限制

PS 词表由作者创建，未使用 LIWC 词典。

结论

MDD 中迟钝的生理唤醒可能导致 COM 组中 PS 词的使用低于 SAD 组。了解这些群体之间的语言差异可以让临床医生深入了解这些人对可能维持或加剧焦虑症状的身体感觉的关注。