Relations of tripartite dimensions of emotion to childhood anxiety and mood disorders

This study examined preliminary higher-order models relating tripartite dim ensions of emotion to severity of anxiety and depressive disorders in 100 c linically referred children and adolescents. In light of the accumulating s upport for multifactor models of vulnerability and negative emotion in chil dren, the present investigation was designed to establish preliminary estim ates of the structure and magnitude of the relations of three emotion facto rs with dimensions of social anxiety, depression, panic, generalized anxiet y, 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.