Illness Perceptions in Psychiatric Disorders: Assessing Differences and Associations With Symptom Severity.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

This study investigated the influence of illness perceptions (IPs) on clinical severity across Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), and Panic Disorder (PD), and compared the IPs across these conditions.

Method

We administered the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire alongside disorder-specific severity scales to 774 participants (85.1% female).

Results

Significant associations between IPs and symptom severity emerged for AN and GAD only. Higher perceived Personal Control was associated with reduced severity in GAD but with greater severity in AN, whereas higher perceived Treatment Control was linked to lower severity in AN. In contrast, stronger perceptions of Concern we

SUBMITTER: Carr B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12862552 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature