Interpersonal correlates of generalized anxiety disorder: Self versus other perception

The present investigation examined the interpersonal functioning of undergraduate students who met self-report criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), both as they perceive it and as perceived by their self-nominated friends. Forty-eight participants who met self-report criteria for GAD endorsed greater global severity of interpersonal problems on the 64-item version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems [Horowitz, L. M., Alden, L. E., Wiggins, J. S., Pincus, A. L. (2000). Inventory of Interpersonal Problems: Manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation] than 53 control participants. However, friends of GAD participants did not attribute significantly greater interpersonal problems to them than did friends of control participants. GAD participants reported less secure attachment to their parents than control participants but reported similar levels of attachment to peers and perceived social support. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the friends of the GAD participants and friends of the control participants on ratings of their friendships quality. Findings are discussed in the context of their relevance to the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of GAD.