DIURNAL PATTERNS OF UNPLEASANT MOOD - ASSOCIATIONS WITH NEUROTICISM, DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY

The literature on symptoms of depression has included diurnal changes in mood. The morning-worse pattern is commonly mentioned. This pattern is often associated with endogenous or vegetative symptoms (e.g., wei ght and appetite loss, loss of pleasure, psychomotor retardation). How ever, depression researchers have also identified an evening-worse pat tern of mood. This pattern is sometimes thought to be associated with milder depressive symptoms, and may characterize chronic dysthymia rat her than clinical depression. The present study examines a nonclinical sample to test the hypothesis that an evening-worse diurnal pattern o f mood would be associated with trait neuroticism, anxiety, and subcli nical depressive symptoms. An experience sampling methodology was empl oyed to assess mood three times a day for 60 consecutive days. This al lowed us to calculate a reliable aggregate score for diurnal mood patt erns. The evening-worse pattern was associated with many neurotic feat ures, with scores on depression and anxiety measures, and with a cogni tive style indicative of hopelessness. Discussion focuses on how an ev ening-worse diurnal pattern of mood may be indicative of mild subclini cal depression, chronic dysthymia, or personality traits associated wi th negative affectivity.