Abstract
Data indicate that negative anxiety response styles (NARS; anxious rumination and anxious hopelessness) may elevate or generate depressive symptoms among individuals with anxiety, though the nature of this relationship is unclear and has limited support from longitudinal investigations. The current study evaluated the longitudinal effects of NARS on the relationship between anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms. It was hypothesized that 1) worry/trait anxiety would predict NARS and subsequent depressive symptoms; and 2) anxious rumination would moderate the relationship between anxiety symptoms and depression. Participants (N = 55) were recruited and administered measures of worry, trait anxiety, NARS, and depression at 0 weeks (Time 1), 4–5 weeks (Time 2), and 9–10 weeks (Time 3). NARS mediated the relationship between worry and depressive symptoms, and an exploratory moderated-mediation model showed that low attentional control scores were associated with a stronger relationship between NARS and depression. NARS did not mediate the relationship between trait anxiety and depression, but instead predicted Time 2 NARS and Time 3 depression. When evaluating the mediational effect of subscales in parallel, only anxious hopelessness accounted for the indirect effect of worry on depressive symptoms. The convenience sample completed measures over a relatively large span of time, which could have allowed for a natural regression of symptoms. These data represent important advances in understanding the mechanisms for and assessment of anxiety-depression comorbidity. Maladaptive cognitive responses to anxiety may be a risk factor for depression, and low attentional control may strengthen this link.
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Data Availability
The data analyses during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Writing of this manuscript was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations, Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment, Department of Veterans Affairs.
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This work was supported by the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) Psychological Research Grant. Writing of this manuscript was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations, Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment, Department of Veterans Affairs. Evan J. White Ph.D. receives funding support from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) under Award No. K99MD015736.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Danielle L. Taylor and Jacob D. Kraft. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Danielle L. Taylor and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Taylor, D.L., Kraft, J.D., Deros, D.E. et al. Temporal predictions of negative anxiety response styles in depression risk. Curr Psychol 42, 29100–29110 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03987-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03987-y