Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 13 (2015) > e13004

The Hunt for Normal Worry: Empirically Distinguishing Normal and Pathological Worry

William E. Kelly

Abstract

Worry is often conceptualized as pathological. However, it may also serve adaptive and constructive functions. The present research investigated whether “normal” worry represents a distinct construct separable from pathological worry. Across four studies of university student samples, a new measure—the Normal Worry Questionnaire (NORWO)—was developed and evaluated. Study 1 supported the reliability and unidimensional factor structure of the NORWO. Study 2 found that NORWO items loaded on a factor statistically separate from the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), suggesting separability of normal and pathological worry. Study 3 demonstrated that the NORWO accounted for unique variance outside of the PSWQ in adaptive coping and optimism, though not in rumination, further supporting discriminant validity. Study 4 established adequate test–retest reliability over a four-week interval. Taken together, results provide preliminary evidence that normal worry can be measured as a stable, psychometrically sound construct that is meaningfully distinct from pathological worry. Further research is needed to clarify its theoretical and practical implications.