| Panic disorder and social phobia co-occur at a rate of 31.1% and are often comorbid with other anxiety disorders, as well as with dysthymia and major depression. It is theorized that temperamental and personality traits substantially contribute to comorbidity among psychological disorders, with some traits having common associations among several disorders and others having unique associations with singular disorders. There is a lack of specificity as to the distinct personality profiles among individuals with panic disorder and social phobia. The purpose of this study was to examine the unique personality profiles of individuals with panic disorder and social phobia. This study was a quantitative, quasi-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional study. A total of 197 individuals responded to an invitation via Survey Monkey to take part in a study on panic disorder and social phobia. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, The Social Phobia Inventory, the Panic Disorder Self Report, the Big Five Aspects Scales, and the Big Five Inventory. Results of logistic regression found no personality traits of the Big Five Aspects Scales or the Big Five Inventory to be significant predictors of panic disorder. Results of linear regression found extraversion to negatively predict social phobia, with a P-value of .002 and a T-value of -3.17. Withdrawal, compassion, and orderliness were found to predict social phobia with P-values of .0001, .009, and < .05 respectively. Personality traits were found to have significantly greater associations with social phobia than with panic disorder. Future research should use longitudinal data in order to clarify etiological factors in the personality-psychopathology relationship. |
