Cogn Emot. 2017 Aug;31(5):1055-1061. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2016.1184625. Epub 2016 May 23.

Within-subject covariation between depression- and anxiety-related affect.

Cognition & emotion

Deepika Anand, Joshua Wilt, William Revelle

PMID: 27215695 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2016.1184625

Abstract

Studies find a strong positive relationship between the affective components of anxiety and depression. However, most research thus far has examined the between-person correlations among these constructs, while ignoring how changes in these two types of affect covary over time within a person. Within-person correlations could differ meaningfully from how anxiety- and depression-related affect relate across individuals. Further, individuals may differ in terms of how highly these constructs covary over time. The current study aimed to (1) compare between- and within-person correlations between anxious and depressive affect, (2) examine lagged effects between anxious and depressive affect over time, (3) test whether individuals differ in their within-person correlations between these two types of affect, and (4) examine whether the mean level of affective intensity moderated these individual differences. These questions were explored using college undergraduates (N = 50) who rated their depression- and anxiety- related affect six times a day for two weeks. A higher average correlation was observed between anxious and depressive affect in between-person compared to within-person analyses. Significant bidirectional lagged effects were observed between these constructs. Individuals with higher average levels of anxious affect experienced stronger within-person correlations between anxious and depressive affect.

Keywords: Depression; anxiety; correlation; intra-individual; lagged effect; momentary sampling

MeSH terms

• Affect*
• Anxiety / complications
• Anxiety / psychology
• Depression / complications
• Depression / psychology
• Female
• Humans
• Individuality*
• Male
• Time Factors

Publication Types

• Journal Article