State anxiety as a moderator of real world grocery shopping performance among people with serious mental illness

Anxiety is frequently overlooked as a factor when examining task performance among individuals with serious mental illness. Given the known effects of anxiety on performance in general populations, it is important to examine anxiety and performance within a serious mental illness population. This study examined state anxiety during a grocery-shopping task among 106 individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Results indicate that state anxiety may impact task performance through its relationship with knowledge about grocery-shopping skills. These data suggest the need to examine further the impact of anxiety on task performance in serious mental illness. Furthermore, the identification and treatment of anxiety in persons with SMI may serve to improve functional outcomes and rehabilitation efforts.