State-anxiety and low moods: evidence for a single concept

The aim of the study was to examine the Spielberger's hypothesis, according to which changes in state-anxiety level would correspond exactly to adverse changes in mood states. We analyzed the correlation coefficients between state-anxiety and low moods, and further investigated whether these correlation coefficients increase when mood factors were grouped and added as the Spielberger's hypothesis would suggest. Data were obtained from previous studies performed in eight subjects exposed to hypoxic conditions during a 31-day simulated climb from sea level to 8848 m equivalent altitude in a hypobaric chamber. Adding scores of mood states (by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6) improved progressively and significantly the correlation coefficient between state-anxiety levels and mood scores when taken individually, up to a maximal increase of 75% of the correlation value when all of the mood factors were added together. The relationship between the number of mood factors by group and the increase in the correlation coefficients between state-anxiety and moods describes a perfect logarithmic regression (r=.9999, n=6, P<.001), that leads to the prediction that 21 mood factors would be needed to define fully the feelings experienced during state-anxiety. This study provides objective evidence for the Spielberger's hypothesis and suggests that low moods and state-anxiety could be arranged in a single concept, and low moods at large regarded as the human feelings experienced during state-anxiety responses. The present relationships were obtained in subjects exposed to stressful environmental hypoxic conditions and should be confirmed for other stressful general conditions.