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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Cognitive anxiety: a method of content analysis for verbal samples
1School of Behavioral Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia.
Journal of Personality Assessment
|April 1, 1976
Summary
This study introduces a new measure for cognitive anxiety, finding it reliably assesses a person's difficulty in anticipating and integrating new experiences. Higher scores indicate greater difficulty with novel situations.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Previous work by psychologists like Kelly, McReynolds, Epstein, and Lazarus highlighted the need for a cognitive anxiety measure.
- A clear definition of cognitive anxiety as a construct was lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a reliable measure for cognitive anxiety.
- To assess the construct validity of the new measure in relation to coping with new experiences.
Main Methods:
- A content analysis method for verbal samples was developed.
- Interjudge reliability was assessed for the content analysis method.
- Normative data were collected from five distinct subject groups.
Main Results:
- The measure demonstrated adequate interjudge reliability.
- Validity was supported by higher scores in subjects coping with new experiences.
- Scores correlated significantly with state anxiety, not trait anxiety.
- Score variability over time was observed, indicating sensitivity to situational changes.
- Higher scores were associated with experiences difficult to anticipate meaningfully.
Conclusions:
- The developed measure effectively captures cognitive anxiety.
- The measure is a valid indicator of difficulty in anticipating and integrating experiences.
- This tool can differentiate between state and trait anxiety responses.
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