title: Evidence of differential stability of state and trait anxiety in adults.
abstract: This study used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess the differential longitudinal stabilities of state and trait anxiety. In 1985 and 1987, 227 adult volunteers (ages 22-78) rated themselves on established state and trait questionnaires. In addition, aggregated-state anxiety was measured by self-rated frequency of state anxiety experienced over the previous month. Analysis of split-half subscales from single Trait and State Anxiety scales showed the State Anxiety true score factor to have a significantly lower unstandardized autoregression coefficient (.57 vs. .91), indicating less longitudinal stability. Additional models found longitudinal factor correlations .90, .72, and .66 for Trait, Aggregate-State, and State Anxiety, respectively, further establishing the differential stability of each. There were no significant age differences in longitudinal stability or in within-occasion state-trait factor correlations.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0170.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Usala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hertzog
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D010556:Personality Tests; D011594:Psychometrics