Negative affect and self-report of physical symptoms: two longitudinal studies of older adults

The ability of negative affect (NA) to predict somatic complaints 6 months later was examined. State NA, including anxious affect (AA) and depressive affect (DA), was measured in 2 separate samples of older adults averaging 62 and 73 years of age. In the first study, DA reliably predicted later complaints, and a corresponding trend was noted for NA. The second study showed that state NA and its 2 constituent variables predicted somatic complaints associated with acute illness (e.g., colds) 6 months later. The second study also examined trait measures of the 3 predictor variables and found that NA and AA, but not DA, were associated with subsequent somatic complaints. However, these trait effects were less robust than those attributable to their state counterparts. The authors conclude that negative mood states are the more consistent predictors of later physical symptom reports.