title: Adaptive functions of self-focused attention: Insight and depressive and anxiety symptoms.
abstract: Maladaptive forms of self-focus, such as rumination, are considered transdiagnostic factors that contribute to depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, no or few studies have explored the possibility that adaptive forms of self-focus can also be a common factor that is negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. To test this possibility, we first examined the psychometric properties of a scale measuring adaptive forms of self-focus (the Self-Reflection and Insight Scale) on Japanese undergraduates (n=117). We replicated the two-factor structure of the scale: (a) self-reflection, which is a tendency to focus purposefully on self for self-regulation, and (b) insight, which is a sense of clear self-understanding. Second, we tested our specific hypothesis that these two factors negatively predict a common factor of depressive and anxiety symptoms. The results of structural equation modeling showed that insight (but not self-reflection) has a significant negative association with a latent variable that explains both depressive and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, this common-factor model explained the data better than a control model in which insight predicts depressive and anxiety symptoms individually. These results suggest that (lack of) insight plays an important role in psychological (mal)adjustment as a shared process in depressive and anxiety symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan. Electronic address: mnakajima@beck.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Center for Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Leuven, Belgium, Tiensestraat 102, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanno
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012647:Self-Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Self-focused attention; Transdiagnostic factor