Is Joint Hypermobility Related to Anxiety in a Nonclinical Population Also?
Abstract
This study examines the association between joint hypermobility syndrome and anxiety in a nonclinical sample. Subjects (N = 526) receiving a medical check-up were assessed with the Hospital del Mar hypermobility criteria and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Scores for trait anxiety, and to a lesser extent state anxiety, were significantly higher among subjects with joint hypermobility syndrome than among subjects without this syndrome (median trait anxiety scores for women: 17 versus 11; median scores for men: 13 versus 1). These findings indicate that the association of joint hypermobility syndrome and anxiety holds even for subjects with no psychiatric diagnosis. Therefore, it seems that this benign connective tissue disorder is a predisposing factor for trait anxiety. However, it is necessary to further explore and define the biological basis of this syndrome, as well as its associations and clinical expressions, which interact with great complexity.
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Adults with asymptomatic GJH have more specific anxiety (state, trait, social anxiety, and severity of fears) than controls without asymptomatic GJH.
“Adults with asymptomatic GJH had higher anxiety scores42,43 and more specific anxiety as state, trait anxiety, social anxiety, and severity of fears than controls without asymptomatic GJH.33, 34, 35, 36”
From Role of Anxiety in Individuals with Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as [33]
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“…of GJH. 57 Also, the level of catastrophizing and pain intensity did not differ between adolescents with or without hypermobility and CMP. 25,57 33-36 Contradictory results were found on the frequency of fears in healthy adults with asymptomatic GJH compared to peers without asymptomatic GJH.…”
- Authors
- Bulbena, A., Agulló, A., Pailhez, G., Martín-Santos, R., Porta, M., Guitart, J., & Gago, J.
- Affiliations
- Hospital Del Mar (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Bulbena, Antonio
- Venue
- Psychosomatics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2004-09
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 432-437
- ISSN
- 0033-3182 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2002612721
- Cited by
- 76
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 1.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychosomatics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Connective tissue disorders research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- joint hypermobility syndrome, anxiety, trait anxiety, state anxiety, connective tissue diseases, non-clinical population, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anticonvulsants, Anxiety, Diazepam, Female, Humans, Joint Instability, Male
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