Journal of Anxiety Disorders 24 (2010) 759–766 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Anxiety Disorders Worry, emotion control, and anxiety control in older and young adults Christine E. Gould, Barry A. Edelstein * Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, United States article info Article history: Received 16 February 2010 Received in revised form 12 May 2010 Accepted 16 May 2010 Keywords: Older adults Worry Emotion control Anxiety control abstract Young adults worry more than older adults; however, few studies have examined why age differences may exist in the frequency of worry. The present study aimed to identify age differences in worry fre- quency, and examine the relation of age and worry to control over one’s emotions and control over anxiety. Older adults worried less often than young adults; however, young women worried more often than young men and older adults. Also, young women reported less control over their anxiety and less control over the external signs of their emotions compared to young men and older adults. Worriers had less perceived control over their anxiety, less control over the inner experience of emotions, and less control over the external signs of emotion. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most preva- lent anxiety disorders among older adults, affecting about 7.3% of adults aged 55 and older during a 6-month period (Beekman et al., 1998). Further, GAD is associated with a host of problems among older adults including: increased disability (Porensky et al., 2009), sleep problems (Wetherell, Le Roux, & Gatz, 2003), diminished well-being (Wetherell et al., 2004), and poorer social functioning (Wetherell et al., 2004). As worry is one of the cen- tral diagnostic features of GAD, improving our understanding of older adults’ experience of worry and control over worry is impor- tant. Worry has been examined in community-dwelling older adults (e.g., Hunt, Wisocki, & Yanko, 2003), in older primary care patients (e.g., Brenes, 2006; Stanley, Novy, Bourland, Beck, & Averill, 2001), and most frequently in older adults with GAD (e.g., Wetherell et al., 2003). In general, older adults have lower levels of uncontrol- lable or excessive worry, and less frequent worry than young adults (e.g., Hunt et al., 2003). Interestingly, Hunt and colleagues found that while young adults worried more frequently than older adults, young adults utilized more strategies to cope with their worries (Hunt et al., 2003). Additionally, young and older adults worry about different topics (e.g., Diefenbach, Stanley, & Beck, 2001; Hunt et al., 2003), such that young adults worry frequently about work- or school-related and social issues, while older adults’ concerns are * Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6040, Morgantown, WV 26506-6040, United States. Tel.: +1 304 293 2001; fax: +1 304 293 6606. E-mail address: Barry.Edelstein@mail.wvu.edu (B.A. Edelstein). mostly health-related concerns (Diefenbach et al., 2001; Person & Borkovec, 1995; Wisocki, 1994). While there are age differences in worry across adulthood, there is considerable variability in the frequency of worry among older adults. For example, older adults participating in the workforce report more frequent worry than retired older adults (Skaborn & Nicki, 2000). Furthermore, Neikrug (2003) found that the preva- lence of worry is higher among the oldest-old (85 years or older) compared to the young-old (65–74). This variability is not surpris- ing when one considers that older adults are a heterogeneous age group, spanning approximately 20 or more years difference in age between the young-old and the oldest-old. One lifespan motivation theory that may provide a theoretical account for age differences in the frequency of worry is Socioemo- tional Selectivity Theory (SST; Carstensen, 1991, 1995). According to SST and its supporting research (as reviewed by Carstensen, Isaacowitz, & Charles, 1999), older adults have a shortened time perspective and are motivated to maximize their positive experi- ences and minimize negative experiences. As one ages and becomes more aware of time limitations, this emotion regulation is achieved through the selection of social situations and individuals with whom one interacts in a fashion that maximizes the frequency, duration, and intensity with which one experiences positive emo- tions (Carstensen, Fung, & Charles, 2003). In light of Carstensen’s well-supported theory, older adults may be motivated to maintain lower levels of worry compared to young adults. The findings of Gross et al. (1997) on emotion regulation are consistent with Carstensen’s theory. That is, there appear to be age-related differences in emotion regulation, with older adults demonstrating better control over their emotions than young adults. In particular, older women report greater control over the inner experience of anger (Gross et al., Study 2, 3). Furthermore 0887-6185/$ – see front matter © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.05.009