Anxiety Sensitivity as a Risk Indicator for Anxiety, Depression, and Headache Severity in Women With Migraine

Objective The primary aim of this exploratory study was to assess the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and emotional disorders, migraine characteristics, and migraine‐related fear and avoidance behaviors in women with probable migraine. Background Anxiety and depressive disorders are the most frequent comorbid psychiatric conditions in migraine, particularly in women; however, the underlying reasons for these comorbidities are uncertain. Anxiety sensitivity, the tendency to catastrophically appraise anxiety and bodily sensations in terms of their physical, social, or cognitive consequences, is a psychological factor that may contribute to the comorbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders and migraine. It was hypothesized that anxiety sensitivity would be associated with greater migraine severity and psychiatric symptoms. Method Participants were women (n = 100) who screened positive for migraine on the validated IDMigraine Screener participated in an anonymous single‐session online survey‐based study on migraine. The Anxiety Sensitivity Index‐3 total and subscales scores were used to assess anxiety sensitivity. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed with the brief Patient Health Questionnaire. Results On average, anxiety sensitivity was clinically elevated (mean ± SD: 24.0 ± 15.2). Anxiety sensitivity cognitive and social concerns were most strongly correlated with severity of anxiety (r's = .38‐.46) and depressive symptoms (r = .35‐.39, P's