Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research and Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2010 Jun;98(6):1009-24. doi: 10.1037/a0019400.
Two longitudinal studies examined the associations between interpersonal goals (i.e., self-image and compassionate goals) and anxiety and dysphoria (i.e., distress). In Study 1, 199 college freshmen (122 women, 77 men) completed 12 surveys over 12 weeks. Compassionate goals predicted decreased distress, and self-image goals predicted increased distress from pretest to posttest when distress was assessed as anxiety, dysphoria, or a composite, and when the goals were worded as approach goals, avoidance goals, or a composite. In Study 2, 115 first-semester roommate pairs (86 female and 29 male pairs) completed 12 surveys over 12 weeks. Compassionate and self-image goals predicted distress in same-week, lagged-week, and pretest-to-posttest analyses; effects of compassionate goals remained significant when the authors controlled for several known risk factors. Having clear goals consistently explained the association between compassionate goals but not self-image goals and distress. Results supported a path model in which compassionate goals predict increased support given to roommates, which predicts decreased distress. Results also supported a reciprocal association; chronic distress predicted decreased compassionate and increased self-image goals from pretest to posttest, and weekly distress predicted decreased compassionate goals the subsequent week. The results suggest that compassionate goals contribute to decreased distress because they provide meaning and increase support given to others. Distress, in turn, predicts change in goals, creating the potential for upward and downward spirals of goals and distress.
两项纵向研究考察了人际关系目标（即自我形象和富有同情心的目标）与焦虑和抑郁（即痛苦）之间的关系。在研究 1 中，199 名大学新生（122 名女性，77 名男性）在 12 周内完成了 12 次调查。当以焦虑、抑郁或综合症状来评估痛苦，并且当目标被表述为接近目标、回避目标或综合目标时，富有同情心的目标预示着痛苦的减少，而自我形象的目标预示着痛苦的增加。在研究 2 中，115 对第一学期的室友对（86 对女性和 29 对男性）在 12 周内完成了 12 次调查。富有同情心和自我形象的目标在同周、滞后周和前测到后测的分析中都预测了痛苦；当作者控制了几个已知的风险因素时，富有同情心的目标的影响仍然显著。清晰的目标始终解释了富有同情心的目标与痛苦之间的关系，但自我形象的目标则不然。研究结果支持了一个路径模型，即富有同情心的目标预测会增加对室友的支持，从而降低痛苦。研究结果还支持了一种相互关联的关系；慢性痛苦预示着从前测到后测，富有同情心的目标和自我形象的目标都会减少，每周的痛苦预示着下周富有同情心的目标会减少。研究结果表明，富有同情心的目标有助于减少痛苦，因为它们提供了意义，并增加了对他人的支持。反过来，痛苦预测了目标的变化，为目标和痛苦的上升和下降螺旋创造了潜力。
