Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026
09:39
The Trier Social Stress Test Protocol for Inducing Psychological Stress
Published on: October 19, 2011
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Trait version: structure and content re-examined
P J Bieling1, M M Antony, R P Swinson
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-2648, USA.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|July 31, 1998
Summary
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) trait scale may measure depression and anxiety. New analysis suggests distinct subscales for anxiety/worry and sadness/self-deprecation, impacting clinical interpretation.
Area of Science:
- Psychological assessment
- Clinical psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is widely used for anxiety assessment.
- Previous research indicates the STAI trait scale might also capture depressive symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factor structure of the STAI trait scale.
- To determine if the STAI trait scale differentiates between anxiety and depression constructs.
Main Methods:
- Factor analysis was employed to examine the trait items' structure.
- Confirmatory factor analysis identified a hierarchical model with two lower-order factors.
- Subscale performance was evaluated in individuals diagnosed with anxiety disorders.
Main Results:
- A hierarchical model with two lower-order factors provided the best fit for the data.
- One subscale correlated with anxiety and worry; the other with sadness and self-deprecation.
- These subscales showed differential correlations with other anxiety and depression measures and distinguished diagnostic groups.
Conclusions:
- The STAI trait scale appears to measure both anxiety and depressive symptoms.
- The identified subscales offer a more nuanced understanding of the STAI's psychometric properties.
- Clinical interpretation of STAI trait scores should consider its dual-factor nature.
Related Concept Videos
02:08Trait and State Self-Esteem
The term self-esteem is often used generically, to refer to how people feel about themselves. However, according to research, there are three distinct constructs that should not be used interchangeably (Brown & Marshall, 2006).
01:20Trait Theory by Gordon Allport
Gordon Allport, often regarded as the father of American personality psychology, developed a theory that emphasized the importance of understanding people in their present lives rather than focusing on their past, as psychoanalysis did. Allport believed that personality should be studied in healthy, well-adjusted individuals rather than those with psychological problems. He was particularly interested in defining traits, which he saw as fundamental mental structures that guide behavior across...
01:22Traits, Mood, and Subjective Wellbeing
Subjective well-being (SWB) refers to an individual's self-evaluation of their overall life satisfaction, happiness, and fulfillment. This multifaceted construct is typically assessed by analyzing the balance of positive and negative emotions alongside perceptions of life satisfaction. Personality traits such as neuroticism and extraversion are strongly associated with variations in SWB, offering critical insights into the underlying mechanisms of emotional well-being.
Neuroticism and Emotional...
Neuroticism and Emotional...
01:17Traits and States
Personality traits represent consistent patterns in behavior, thoughts, and emotions, reflecting an individual's tendencies across various situations. For example, extraversion, a well-known trait, manifests in individuals as talkative, energetic, and enthusiastic behaviors. These traits are stable over time, offering a reliable framework for predicting how people might act in different contexts. However, they do not define every moment of an individual's life. In contrast to traits, states are...
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
01:21Trait Centrality
Trait centrality refers to the degree to which a particular characteristic influences the overall impression of an individual. Some traits exert a disproportionately strong impact on perception, shaping how people interpret other attributes of a person. Solomon Asch first systematically studied this phenomenon in 1946.Asch’s Experiment on Trait CentralityAsch's seminal study demonstrated the centrality of certain traits through a controlled experiment. Participants were presented with a list of...