Investigating existential anxiety based upon Good model and the hierarchical levels of self-awareness based upon Temperament and Character model

Abstract

Details about the hierarchy of self-awareness and the spiral process of its growth are explained in Cloninger's personality theory. What we found in extensive literature search indicated no study relating existential anxiety and the hierarchy of self-awareness. Methods: One hundred students participated in this study averagely aged 27.99± 5.76 years. The study was explained and informed consent was obtained. Then demographic information such as age and gender and educational level were recorded. Subjects were asked to fill in the Good existential anxiety questionnaire and the Cloninger personality questionnaire (for calculation of scores for hierarchical levels of self-awareness). Finally, all the obtained data were statistical analyzed. Results: Existential anxiety scores were divided into two categories: "high" and "low", and the averages of awareness scores were compared in people with high existential anxiety and people with low existential anxiety. While distribution of demographic parameters was similar in the two groups (P = 0.56-0.34), the score of all hierarchies of self-awareness in two groups had a significant or very significant difference (P = 0.02-0.00); in such a way that the mentioned scores were higher in people who had low existential anxiety (inverse relationship).