Association between joint hypermobility and anxiety in Brazilian university students: Gender-related differences
Abstract
Introduction Anxiety disorders may be associated with several non-psychiatric disorders. Current literature has been investigating the association between anxiety and joint hypermobility (JHM), with special interest in non-articular symptoms that may be related to autonomic dysfunction. This study investigated the association between anxiety and JHM in a sample of Brazilian university students. Methods Data were cross-sectionally collected in two Brazilian universities (N=2600). Participants completed three validated self-rating anxiety scales: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) and the brief-version of SPIN (Mini-SPIN). They also answered the self-rating screening questionnaire for JHM: the Five-part Questionnaire for Identifying Hypermobility. Results Hypermobile women showed significantly higher scores in all the anxiety scales, when compared with men: BAI total score (t=3.77; p Conclusions The results of the present study support earlier evidence on the relationship between anxiety and JHM in women, showing specific gender-related features in this field. It also directs attention to non-articular symptoms that may be enrolled in this association.
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Anxiety scores are increased in adolescents and young adults with asymptomatic GJH compared with peers without GJH.
“Anxiety scores in adolescents and young adults with GJH without complaints were increased compared to peers without GJH.28,41,54,56”
From Role of Anxiety in Individuals with Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as [54]
Normal to mild social anxiety is present in adolescents and young adults with asymptomatic GJH.
“Normal to mild social anxiety was present.28,41,54”
From Role of Anxiety in Individuals with Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as [54]
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- Authors
- Sanches, S. B., Osório, F. L., Louzada-Junior, P., Moraes, D., Crippa, J. A. S., & Martín-Santos, R.
- Affiliations
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- ORCID
- Moraes, D.
- Venue
- Journal of Psychosomatic Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-12
- Volume
- 77
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 558-561
- ISSN
- 0022-3999 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2044090744
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 1.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychosomatic Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- FAPESP (2007/03685-3)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Connective tissue disorders research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- joint hypermobility, anxiety disorders, gender differences, university students, autonomic dysfunction, social anxiety disorder
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Brazil, Female, Humans, Joint Instability, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Students, Universities, Sex Distribution, Young Adult
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