Relationship between anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication on therapy and coping mechanism
Abstract
This study aimed to look at the relationship between anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication on therapy and coping mechanisms. More specifically, does the age at prescription of anti-anxiety or anti-depressant drugs affect the knowledge one has on other anxiety relief methods. With this, who prescribed the medication, general physician, or psychiatrist, was looked into. In this study, 253 Oklahoma State University students were asked if they took medication for anxiety and how they dealt with anxiety (i.e., medication only, therapy and medication, therapy only). Of the 253 there were 119 participants who had been prescribed anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication in their life and these students participated in a survey which measured the age at which they were prescribed and how much knowledge they believe themselves to have, in terms of coping mechanisms. No significant correlation was found for this hypothesis (r=-.074, N=119, p=.426). In relation to who prescribed the medication, it was found that, of the 119 participants who were prescribed a medication 74 participants received their medication from a general physician: opening doors for further research into the different prescription rates of these professions. Limitations within this study could be related to the limited population.