Discuss the biological and psychosocial factors related to anxiety disorders

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Biological Factors
Using recently developed techniques for studying the living brain and information from mapping the genetic code, researchers have been actively studying biological factors involved in anxiety disorders. Biological factors underlying anxiety are genetic, neurological, chemical, and physiological components that may predispose or put someone at risk for an anxiety disorder.
Genetic Factors
Studies involving twins and adoptees show that genetic factors are involved in the development of anxiety disorders. For instance, there is a higher concordance rate for anxiety disorders among identical twins than among fraternal twins, and adoptee studies show that the biological parent places the child at risk for anxiety disorders. Although no specific genes have yet been identified, some progress has been made in identifying genetic regions that may be involved in anxiety disorders.
Neurological Factors
Several neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA, seem to be involved in anxiety disorders. Also, brain-scan research has found differences in the structure and functioning of specific brain regions to be linked to different anxiety disorders. For example, the amygdala, which plays a key role in negative emotions (such as fear), has been found to be more active in people with PTSD.

Psychosocial Factors
Psychosocial factors, such as personality traits, cognitive styles, social supports, and the ability to deal with stressors, interact with predisposing biological factors to put one at risk for developing an anxiety disorder.
Negative Cognitive Style
If people perceive their environment as being uncontrollable, unpredictable, and threatening, they are at risk for anxiety disorders. People with anxiety disorders tend to anticipate something bad will occur, misinterpret their bodily sensations, and dwell on negative information. For example, they may minimize their successes and overgeneralize their failures. Or they may interpret an experience in an exaggerated manner, such as convincing themselves that their momentary increase in heart rate is evidence of a serious heart attack.
Maladaptive Learning
Some anxiety disorders may be learned through classical conditioning, as in the case of Little Albert. Other anxiety disorders may be a result of observational learning; simply observing an individual's negative experiences may result in the development of an anxiety disorder.