A longitudinal analysis of anxiety and depressive symptoms

The authors modeled depressive and anxiety symptom data from 1.391 particip ants in a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older Swedish twins (M age = 60.9 years, SD = 13.3). Although anxiety and depression were highly corre lated, a model with distinct Anxiety and Depression factors fit the data be tter than models with Positive and Negative Affect factors or a single Ment al Health factor. Lack of well-being was associated with anxiety rather tha n depression. Over two 3-year intervals, anxiety symptoms led to depressive symptoms, but the relationship was not reciprocal. Anxiety symptoms were m ore stable than depression. These findings provide additional support for t he idea that anxiety symptoms may reflect a personality trait such as neuro ticism more than do depressive symptoms and suggest that low positive affec t may not be as specific to depression among older adults as in younger peo ple.