What are the key features of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)? Describe the cognitive theories of GAD.

Students' answers may vary.Key terms and concepts that may be included in student responses:
▪ Features-anxious all the time, focus of worries may shift frequently; physiological symptoms include muscle tension, sleep disturbances, and chronic restlessness; relatively common disorder; tends to be chronic; begins in childhood or adolescence
▪ Cognitive theories-people are focused on threat at both the conscious and unconscious levels, believe that worrying can help avoid bad events by motivating them to engage in problem solving, actively avoid visual images of what they worry about, respond to situations with automatic thoughts that stir up anxiety, hypervigilant and overreact, unconscious cognitions focus on detecting possible threats in the environment