Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

Abstract

Convergent Validation of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory with Measures of Personality, Affective Control and, Risk Propensity

Garima Joshi, Chandra Pratap Daksha, VS Chandrasekhar Pammi and Bhoomika R Kar*

We standardized the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) with 407 young adults. Norms (high, medium, and low anxiety scores) were derived based on T scores and percentile ranks. Convergent validation was performed using correlation and multiple regression analysis followed by moderation analysis to study the relationship between anxiety (STAI) and personality dimensions (NEO-FFI 3), affective control, and risk propensity. State anxiety emerged as a significant predictor for both affective control and risk propensity. While trait anxiety moderated the relationship between personality and affective control as well as personality and risk propensity. Higher levels of trait anxiety seem to increase the disabling effect of neuroticism on affective control. In addition, with high level of trait anxiety and higher risk propensity, affective control was found to be better in terms of less emotional distress. Findings of the study also highlight the differential effects of types of anxiety and the need to investigate the structure of STAI with trait and state anxiety as different constructs. The transient factors underlying state anxiety may affect cognition more strongly whereas trait anxiety as a much enduring disposition may influence cognition through the interaction with other variables. The current study adds to the evidence that STAI is a valuable measure for anxiety in healthy adults across populations/cultures and that anxiety is correlated with cognitive-affective and pre-dispositional factors.

Published Date: 2023-11-17; Received Date: 2023-10-17