title: Conceptualizing and Measuring Self-Criticism as Both a Personality Trait and a Personality State.
abstract: Blatt's ( 2004 , 2008 ) conceptualization of self-criticism is consistent with a state-trait model that postulates meaningful variation in self-criticism both between persons (traits) and within person (states). We tested the state-trait model in a 7-day diary study with 99 college student participants. Each evening they completed a 6-item measure of self-criticism, as well as measures of perceived social support, positive and negative affect, compassionate and self-image goals during interactions with others, and interpersonal behavior, including overt self-criticism and given social support. As predicted, self-criticism displayed both trait-like variance between persons and daily fluctuations around individuals' mean scores for the week; slightly more than half of the total variance was between persons (ICC = .56). Numerous associations at both the between-persons and within-person levels were found between self-criticism and the other variables, indicating that individuals' mean levels of self-criticism over the week, and level of self-criticism on a given day relative to their personal mean, were related to their cognitions, affect, interpersonal goals, and behavior. The results supported the construct validity of the daily self-criticism measure. Moreover, the findings were consistent with the state-trait model and with Blatt's theoretical analysis of self-critical personality.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Zuroff
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Gentiana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sadikaj
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Allison C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Michelle J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Leybman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires