STATES-OF-MIND AND NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY

Although several studies have assessed the affective characteristics o f individuals high in negative affectivity, less research has examined cognitive aspects such as self-statements. The states-of-mind (SOM) m odel specifies ratios of positive and negative self-statements for var ying severity levels of psychological dysfunction. Participants comple ted measures of negative affectivity depression symptoms, anxiety symp toms, current mood state, and positive and negative self-statements. B ased on Depression scale, Anxiety scale and Negative Affectivity scale scores, participants were divided into five distinct groups: depresse d participants, anxious participants, participants high in negative af fectivity, depression and anxiety, participants high only on negative affectivity and normal participants. Results indicated that participan ts scoring high on measures of negative affectivity, depression, and a nxiety had SOM ratios that were significantly lower than all other gro ups. Depressed, anxious, or participants high only in negative affecti vity had significantly lower ratios than normal subjects. The configur ation of scores implies an additive model of affective distress and ne gative cognition. Such a model suggests that depression or anxiety mig ht be related to a decrease in SOM ratios, while the combination of th e two affects and negative affectivity appears related to an even furt her decrease in SOM ratios.