Beyond Negative Affectivity: A Hierarchical Model of Global and Transdiagnostic Vulnerabilities for Emotional Disorders

Background: Negative affectivity (NA) has been linked to anxiety and depression (DEP). Identifying the common factors between anxiety and DEP is important when explaining their overlap and comorbidity. However, general factors such as NA tend to have differential relationships with different disorders, suggesting the need to identify mediators in order to explicate these relationships. Methods: The current study tests a theoretically and empirically derived hierarchical model of emotional disorders including both a general factor (NA) and transdiagnostic risk factors [anxiety sensitivity (AS) and intolerance of uncertainty (IoU)] using structural equation modeling. AS was tested as a mid-level factor between NA and panic disorder/agoraphobia, while IoU was tested as a mid-level factor between NA and social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and DEP. Data from 642 clinical outpatients with a heterogeneous presentation of emotional disorders were available for analysis. Results: The hierarchical model fits the data adequately. Moreover, while a simplified model removing AS and IoU fits the data well, it resulted in a significant loss of information for all latent disorder constructs. Limitations: Data were unavailable to estimate post-traumatic stress disorder or specific phobias. Future work will need to extend to other emotional disorders. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of both general factors that link disorders together and semi-specific transdiagnostic factors partially explaining their heterogeneity. Including these mid-level factors in hierarchical models of psychopathology can help account for additional variance and help to clarify the relationship between disorder constructs and NA.     

Cognitive risk factors explain the relations between neuroticism and social anxiety for males and females

The hierarchical model of vulnerabilities to emotional distress contextualizes the relation between neuroticism and social anxiety as occurring indirectly through cognitive risk factors. In particular, inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty (IU; difficulty in uncertain circumstances), fear of negative evaluation (FNE; fear of being judged negatively), and anxiety sensitivity (AS) social concerns (fear of outwardly observable anxiety) are related to social anxiety. It is unclear whether these risk factors uniquely relate to social anxiety, and whether they account for the relations between neuroticism and social anxiety. The indirect relations between neuroticism and social anxiety through these and other risk factors were examined using structural equation modeling in a sample of 462 individuals (M age = 36.56, SD = 12.93; 64.3% female). Results indicated that the relations between neuroticism and social anxiety could be explained through inhibitory IU, FNE, and AS social concerns. No gender differences were found. These findings provide support for the hierarchical model of vulnerabilities to emotional distress disorders, although the cognitive risk factors accounted for variance beyond their contribution to the relation between neuroticism and social anxiety, suggesting a more complex model than that expressed in the hierarchical model of vulnerabilities.     

人格特质对考试焦虑的影响:多重中介效应分析

目的:探讨自尊、惧怕负面评价及无法忍受不确定性在人格特质和考试焦虑间的中介作用。方法:采用人格问卷简式量表EPQ-RSC、Rosenberg自尊问卷、惧怕负面评价量表简表、无法忍受不确定性量表和考试焦虑量表测量410名在校高中生和大学生。结果:(1)相关分析表明,神经质、惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑之间彼此正相关显著;外向性与自尊正相关显著,与惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑等负相关显著;精神质与自尊、惧怕负面评价及考试焦虑等负相关显著;自尊与神经质、惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑负相关显著。(2)回归分析表明,人格特质中的神经质和精神质能显著预测考试焦虑,无法忍受不确定性在人格特质和考试焦虑之间起部分中介作用;结构方程模型分析结果显示,人格特质中神经质和精神质对考试焦虑的直接效应显著,经由自尊、惧怕负面评价和无法忍受不确定性对考试焦虑的间接效应也极为显著。结论:自尊、惧怕负面评价和无法忍受不确定性在人格特质与考试焦虑间起着中介作用。     

The relationship between anxiety sensitivity and latent symptoms of emotional problems: A structural equation modeling approach

A large body of research suggests that common and specific psychopathology dimensions underlie the symptoms that occur within mood and anxiety disorders. As of yet, it is unclear precisely how the facets of Anxiety Sensitivity (AS), or fear of the symptoms of fear and anxiety, relate to these latent factors. Using data from 606 adolescents participating in the baseline phase of a longitudinal study on risk factors for emotional disorders, we modeled the facets of AS as measured by the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Expanded Form (ASI-X) and related these facets to a hierarchical model of latent symptoms of psychological distress. Results suggest that one facet of AS is associated with a broad General Distress factor underlying symptoms of most emotional disorders while others relate to intermediate-level and conceptually-meaningful narrow factors representing aspects of psychological distress specific to particular emotional disorders.     

青少年早期网络欺凌/受欺凌对睡眠质量的影响：社交焦虑和抑郁情绪的链式中介作用

基于压力认知失眠模型,采用网络欺凌/受欺凌问卷、青少年社交焦虑问卷、流调中心抑郁问卷和匹兹堡睡眠质量指数问卷,对582名中小学生进行三次追踪测查,每次间隔半年,并运用结构方程模型考察社交焦虑和抑郁情绪在网络欺凌/受欺凌对睡眠质量的影响的中介作用及其性别差异。结果表明：(1)社交焦虑和抑郁情绪在网络欺凌/受欺凌影响睡眠质量的路径中均起到链式中介作用;(2)网络欺凌/受欺凌影响睡眠质量的链式中介模型存在性别差异。这启示要改善网络欺凌者与受欺凌者的睡眠质量,应关注网络欺凌给他们带来的情绪困扰,只有从根本上解决其情绪问题,才能最终有效促进其睡眠质量。     

Factor structure of the childhood anxiety sensitivity index.

We developed various factor models of the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index [Silverman, W. K., Fleisig, W., Rabian, B. & Peterson, R. A. (1991). Childhood anxiety sensitivity index. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 20, 162-168] and tested the goodness of fit of the models in an independent sample. Of primary interest was to examine the question that characterized the factor analytic studies conducted on the adult version of the anxiety sensitivity index, i.e. the ASI [Reiss, S., Peterson, R. A., Gursky, D. M. & McNally, R. J. (1986). Anxiety sensitivity, anxiety frequency and the prediction of fearfulness. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24, 1-8]: is anxiety sensitivity in children a unidimensional construct, an orthogonal multidimensional construct, or a hierarchical construct? Two independent samples (a clinic sample and a nonclinical sample) were used for development and replication of the factor models. The clinic sample consisted of 258 children (105 girls and 153 boys) who presented to a child anxiety disorders specialty clinic. The unselected, nonclinic sample consisted of 249 children (122 girls and 127 boys) enrolled in an elementary school. The results provided strong empirical support for a hierarchical multidimensional model with either three or four first-order factors. The two factors that emerged that appeared to be robust were Physical Concerns and Mental Incapacitation Concerns. What remains unresolved is whether Control of anxiety symptoms and Social Concerns are to be differentiated (as in the hierarchical model with four first-order factors) or not (as in the hierarchical model with three first-order factors). In addition to discussing this issue, the convergence of the present study's findings with past findings obtained with the ASI is discussed.     

Positive affect predicts avoidance goals in social interaction anxiety: testing a hierarchical model of social goals

Models of self-regulation suggest that social goals may contribute to interpersonal and affective difficulties, yet little research has addressed this issue in the context of social anxiety. The present studies evaluated a hierarchical model of approach and avoidance in the context of social interaction anxiety, with affect as a mediating factor in the relationship between motivational tendencies and social goals. This model was refined in one undergraduate sample (N = 186) and cross-validated in a second sample (N = 195). The findings support hierarchical relationships between motivational tendencies, social interaction anxiety, affect, and social goals, with higher positive affect predicting fewer avoidance goals in both samples. Implications for the treatment of social interaction anxiety are discussed.     

手机成瘾与抑郁：社交焦虑和负性情绪信息注意偏向的多重中介作用

为考察手机成瘾与抑郁的关系, 研究同时整合情绪和认知两方面因素, 探讨了社交焦虑和负性情绪信息注意偏向在手机成瘾和抑郁之间的多重中介作用。研究1共有545名大学生完成了大学生手机成瘾倾向量表、贝克抑郁量表和社会交往焦虑量表。研究2选取51名大学生采用问卷法和2(配对面孔表情的情绪类型: 负性、中性) × 2(探测点位置: 与负性情绪面孔表情同侧、与负性情绪面孔表情异侧)的被试内实验设计。结果表明: (1)手机成瘾、社交焦虑和抑郁两两间存在显著正相关, 且社交焦虑在手机成瘾和抑郁之间起完全中介作用; (2)社交焦虑和负性情绪信息注意偏向在手机成瘾与抑郁的关系中起链式中介作用, 而负性情绪信息注意偏向在手机成瘾与抑郁间的单独中介效应不显著。具体而言, 手机成瘾通过两条路径影响抑郁: 一是社交焦虑的单独中介作用; 二是社交焦虑→负性情绪信息注意偏向的链式中介作用。     

A cross-sectional evaluation of the factorial invariance of anxiety sensitivity in adolescents and young adults

This study examined the cross-sectional factorial invariance of anxiety sensitivity in an ethnically diverse sample of adolescents (n = 173; mean age 15.5 years) and young adults (n = 291; mean age 20.1 years). Research in adult and youth samples suggests that anxiety sensitivity is best understood as a hierarchical construct with several lower-order factors. Factor models based on previous research using both adult and youth samples were compared and a hierarchical model with three lower-order factors provided the best fit to the data. Results supported the hypothesis that the factor structure of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index was invariant across age and gender. The factor scores also demonstrated differential correlations with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results are discussed with regard to construct validation and understanding the structure of anxiety sensitivity in youth.     

父母冲突对青少年社交焦虑的影响：序列中介效应分析

采用父母冲突儿童知觉量表(CPIC)、父母关系安全感量表(SIS Scale)和社交焦虑分量表调查480名高中生,运用偏差矫正的百分位Bootstrap方法探索青少年对父母冲突的威胁知觉和情绪不安全感在父母冲突水平与青少年社交焦虑之间的序列中介作用。本研究同时检验认知情境理论和情绪安全感理论,发现青少年对父母冲突的威胁知觉对其情绪不安全感的不同维度存在不同影响,从而更为完善地揭示父母冲突影响青少年社交焦虑的内部机制。具体来说,父母冲突主要通过三条途径影响青少年社交焦虑:通过威胁知觉的中介作用;通过情绪不安全感,特别是消极表征的中介作用;通过依次影响威胁知觉和情绪不安全感(特别是消极表征和情绪失调)而正向预测青少年社交焦虑。     

An Examination of the Tripartite Model of Anxiety and Depression and Its Application to Youth

The ability to differentiate anxiety and depression has been a topic of discussion in the adult and youth literatures for several decades. The tripartite model of anxiety and depression proposed by L. A. Clark and D. Watson (1991) has helped focus the discussion. In the tripartite model, anxiety is characterized by elevated levels of physiological hyperarousal (PH), depression is characterized by low levels of positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) or generalized emotional distress is common to both. The advent of the model led to the development of measures of tripartite constructs and subsequent validity studies. The tripartite model and resultant activity concerning the model was largely devoted to adult samples. However, those interested in anxiety and depression among youth are now incorporating the tripartite model in their work. This paper examines the current influence of the tripartite model in the youth literature, especially with regard to measuring anxiety and depression.     

Replication and Extension of a Hierarchical Model of Social Anxiety and Depression: Fear of Positive Evaluation as a Key Unique Factor in Social Anxiety

Wang, Hsu, Chiu, and Liang (2012, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 26, 215–224) recently proposed a hierarchical model of social interaction anxiety and depression to account for both the commonalities and distinctions between these conditions. In the present paper, this model was extended to more broadly encompass the symptoms of social anxiety disorder, and replicated in a large unselected, undergraduate sample (n = 585). Structural equation modeling (SEM) and hierarchical regression analyses were employed. Negative affect and positive affect were conceptualized as general factors shared by social anxiety and depression; fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and disqualification of positive social outcomes were operationalized as specific factors, and fear of positive evaluation (FPE) was operationalized as a factor unique to social anxiety. This extended hierarchical model explicates structural relationships among these factors, in which the higher-level, general factors (i.e., high negative affect and low positive affect) represent vulnerability markers of both social anxiety and depression, and the lower-level factors (i.e., FNE, disqualification of positive social outcomes, and FPE) are the dimensions of specific cognitive features. Results from SEM and hierarchical regression analyses converged in support of the extended model. FPE is further supported as a key symptom that differentiates social anxiety from depression.     

Adult attachment dimensions and specificity of emotional distress symptoms: prospective investigations of cognitive risk and interpersonal stress generation as mediating mechanisms

Three prospective studies examined the relation between adult attachment dimensions and symptoms of emotional distress (anxiety and depression). Across all three studies, avoidant and anxious attachment prospectively predicted depressive symptoms, and anxious attachment was associated concurrently with anxiety symptoms. Study 2 tested a cognitive risk factors mediational model, and Study 3 tested an interpersonal stress generation mediational model. Both cognitive and interpersonal mediating processes were supported. The cognitive risk factors pathway, including elevated dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem, specifically mediated the relation between insecure attachment and prospective elevations in depression but not anxiety. For the interpersonal stress generation model, experiencing additional interpersonal, but not achievement, stressors over time mediated the association between insecure attachment and prospective elevations in depressive and anxious symptoms. Results advance theory and empirical knowledge about why these interpersonal and cognitive mechanisms explain how insecurely attached people become depressed and anxious.     

Relations of Tripartite Dimensions of Emotion to Childhood Anxiety and Mood Disorders

This study examined preliminary higher-order models relating tripartite dimensions of emotion to severity of anxiety and depressive disorders in 100 clinically referred children and adolescents. In light of the accumulating support for multifactor models of vulnerability and negative emotion in children, the present investigation was designed to establish preliminary estimates of the structure and magnitude of the relations of three emotion factors with dimensions of social anxiety, depression, panic, generalized anxiety, obsessions/compulsions, and separation anxiety. Results were consistent with structures that minimally specified two higher-order emotion factors, yet only some parameter estimates were consistent with theory regarding the tripartite model. Problems with the measurement of tripartite factors and possibilities for further research are outlined.     

On the relationship between temperament, metacognition, and anxiety: independent and mediated effects

Abstract The present study examined the relations between temperamental traits distinguished in regulative theory of temperament, state anxiety, and metacognition as postulated in self-regulatory executive function (S-REF) theory of emotional disorder. Data analysis (n=315) consisted of independent and mediated effect analyses. Of the six traits, briskness, emotional reactivity and perseveration correlated significantly with both state anxiety and metacognitions (emotional reactivity and perseveration correlated positively, and briskness - negatively). These traits were predictors of state anxiety. Metacognition predicted state anxiety and relationships were independent of temperament. A mediating effect of metacognition was confirmed for the general index as well as negative and positive belief subscales. The findings support the metacognitive model of psychopathology and suggest that temperament is associated with metacognitions implicated in psychopathology and may have both direct and metacognitively mediated effects on anxiety.     

A bifactor model of negative affectivity: fear and distress components among younger and older youth

The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (PANAS-C) is a 27-item youth-report measure of positive affectivity and negative affectivity. Using 2 large school-age youth samples (clinic-referred sample: N = 662; school-based sample: N = 911), in the present study, we thoroughly examined the structure of the PANAS-C NA and PA scales and fit a bifactor model to the PANAS-C NA items. Our exploratory factor analytic results demonstrated that negative affectivity is comprised of 2 main components-NA: Fear and NA: Distress-specifically among older youth. A bifactor model also evidenced the best model fit relative to a unidimensional and second-order factor structure of the PANAS-C NA items. The NA: Fear group factor evidenced significant correspondence with external criterion measures of anxiety. However, the original PANAS-C NA scale evidenced equal (and in some cases greater) correspondence with criterion measures of anxiety. We thus recommend continued usage and interpretation of the full PANAS-C NA scale despite the identification of the fear and distress group factors underlying general negative affectivity. The identification of these fear and distress group factors nonetheless suggest that negative affectivity may be comprised largely of a fear and distress component among older youth. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to better understanding the structure of psychopathology across childhood development and informing the development of future treatments of negative emotions.     

Further Evaluation of the Tripartite Structure of Subjective Well‐Being: Evidence From Longitudinal and Experimental Studies

Subjective well‐being (SWB; Diener, 1984) comprises three primary components: life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA). Multiple competing conceptualizations of the tripartite structure of SWB have been employed, resulting in widespread ambiguity concerning the definition, operationalization, analysis, and synthesis of SWB‐related findings (Busseri & Sadava, 2011). We report two studies evaluating two predominant structural models (as recently identified by Busseri, 2015): a hierarchical model comprising a higher‐order latent SWB factor with LS, PA, and NA as indicators; and a causal systems model specifying unidirectional effects of PA and NA on LS. A longitudinal study (N = 452; M_age = 18.54; 76.5% female) and a lab‐based experiment (N = 195; M_age = 20.42 years; 87.6% female; 81.5% Caucasian) were undertaken. Structural models were evaluated with respect to (a) associations among SWB components across time (three months, three years in Study 1; one week in Study 2) and (b) the impact of manipulating the individual SWB components (Study 2). A hierarchical structural model was supported in both studies; conflicting evidence was found for the causal systems model. A hierarchical model provides a robust conceptualization for the tripartite structure of SWB.     

Hope,Social Support,and Postpartum Depression: Disentangling the Mediating Effects of Negative Affectivity

We examined the potentially mediating effects of negative affectivity (NA) on the hope–depression relationship among a sample of postpartum women. We also assessed the social support reported by these women and examined the possible mediating effects of NA on the social support–postpartum depression relationship. Correlational analyses of data obtained from women (N = 98) who had given birth in the previous 6 months revealed that NA did not mediate either hope or social support in the prediction of postpartum depression. Hope accounted for a significant degree of variance in postpartum depression. These data suggest that hope has palliative effects among women following childbirth and these effects are not nullified or explained by emotional predispositions.     

乡镇小学生的数学焦虑与数学成绩:数学自我效能感和数学元认知的链式中介作用

采用儿童数学焦虑量表、小学生数学学习自我效能感量表和小学生数学元认知问卷,对508名乡镇中、高年级小学生进行测量,并运用结构方程模型探讨数学焦虑影响数学成绩的内在作用机制。结果发现：（1）数学焦虑显著负向预测数学自我效能感、数学元认知和数学成绩,数学自我效能感显著正向预测数学元认知和数学成绩,数学元认知显著正向预测数学成绩;（2）在数学焦虑对数学成绩的预测中,数学自我效能感和数学元认知均发挥了部分中介作用;（3）数学自我效能感和数学元认知在数学焦虑和数学成绩之间起链式多重中介的作用。因此,数学焦虑除了直接作用于小学生的数学成绩,还可通过数学自我效能感或数学元认知间接影响数学成绩,而且可通过数学自我效能感进而通过数学元认知间接影响数学成绩。文章讨论了上述发现的理论及教育实践含义。