Coping mediates relationships between reinforcement sensitivity and symptoms of psychopathology

Limited research has evaluated whether coping strategies mediate the relationships between reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) and symptoms of psychopathology. Undergraduates (n = 293) completed questionnaires assessing RST, coping, and symptoms of psychopathology. Consistent with our hypotheses, bootstrapping analyses indicated that emotion- and avoidance-focused coping mediated the relationship between high Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and depression, anxiety, and worry. Less problem-focused coping mediated the relationship between low Behavioral Approach System (BAS) and depression. Avoidance-focused coping mediated the effects of high BIS on drug and alcohol use whereas high BAS directly predicted alcohol and drug use. Unexpectedly, emotion-focused coping mediated the relationship between BAS and anxiety and worry. These results provide support for the hypothesis that personality variables are associated with psychopathology partially through coping.     

Two superordinate personality factors in childhood

The study presents the superordinate structure of personality measured by the Inventory of Child Individual Differences (ICID) and its links with behavioural approach system (BAS) and behavioural inhibition system (BIS), problem behaviour and family environment measures in parent reports of 1780 Russian children aged 3–17 years and 573 adolescent self‐reports. Two higher‐order factors, α comprising Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism (reversed), and β comprising Openness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability, were confirmed across gender and age. Structural model linking BAS with α and BIS with β was supported. α was negatively associated with externalising problems and β was negatively related to internalising problems. The links with family cohesion, punishment, westernisation and affluence supported the external validity of the Big Two. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Original and revised reinforcement sensitivity theory in the prediction of executive functioning: A test of relationships between dual systems

Executive functioning relates to cognitive processes that are effortful and controlled, whereas processes underlying personality are assumed to be routine and automatic (Elliot and Thrash, 2002, Elliot and Thrash, 2010). We evaluated potential influences between these dual systems by examining the link between executive functioning and biologically based personality measures associated with original reinforcement sensitivity theory (o-RST) and revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (r-RST). Results showed that flight (a tendency to commit to poorly planned, escape behavior) negatively predicted executive functioning. We find partial support for the general hypothesis of links between the dual systems. Generally, r-RST was a better predictor of executive functioning than o-RST. The proposed structure of the r-RST measurement model was confirmed.     

Jackson-5 scales of revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST) and their application to dysfunctional real world outcomes

Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST) is a neurobiological theory of personality which has many differences compared to the original version. This highlights the need for measurement scales to reflect the revised theory. Study 1 uses exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to develop and test new scales (the ‘Jackson-5’) which are shown to be internally reliable, have scale inter-relationships matching theory, and to have desirable construct validity properties. Study 2 compares r-RST with original RST in the prediction of delinquency and psychopathy in students. Results suggest the new scales capture the main properties of r-RST and indicate that r-RST provides a substantially different explanation of the personality basis of dysfunctional behavior compared to original RST.