Cox Rebecca C, Jessup Sarah C, Olatunji Bunmi O
Vanderbilt University.
Pers Individ Dif. 2022 May;190. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111529. Epub 2022 Jan 25.
Existing theoretical models and empirical evidence suggest that worry proneness is associated with anxious responding. However, it is unknown how worry proneness may influence the experience of anxiety throughout the day. The present study addresses this gap in the literature by employing an ecological momentary assessment design to examine the impact of worry proneness on diurnal changes in anxiety reported in the morning, afternoon, and evening for one week in a sample of unselected adults ( = 136). Results indicated a significant reduction in anxiety from morning to evening. Further, this effect was moderated by worry proneness, such that a diurnal decline in anxiety was detectable among those with low and moderate levels of worry proneness, whereas those high in worry proneness reported increased momentary anxiety which was sustained throughout the day. These results replicate previous studies indicating anxiety is highest in the morning and lowest in the evening. Further, these findings suggest that worry proneness may override normative diurnal changes in anxiety and thereby maintain anxiety at elevated and consistent levels. The implications of these findings for the development and treatment of disorders characterized by excessive worry are discussed.
现有的理论模型和实证证据表明，易焦虑倾向与焦虑反应有关。然而，尚不清楚易焦虑倾向如何影响一整天的焦虑体验。本研究通过采用生态瞬时评估设计，以填补这一文献空白，该设计用于检验在一周内，未经过挑选的成年人样本（n = 136）中，易焦虑倾向对早晨、下午和晚上报告的焦虑日间变化的影响。结果表明，焦虑水平从早晨到晚上显著降低。此外，这种效应受到易焦虑倾向的调节，即低易焦虑倾向和中等易焦虑倾向者的焦虑水平呈现日间下降，而高易焦虑倾向者报告的瞬时焦虑增加且全天持续。这些结果重复了先前的研究，表明焦虑在早晨最高，晚上最低。此外，这些发现表明，易焦虑倾向可能会推翻焦虑的正常日间变化，从而使焦虑维持在较高且稳定的水平。本文讨论了这些发现对以过度担忧为特征的疾病的发展和治疗的意义。
