UM Home |  A to Z Index |  Academic Index |
 

Psychology Colloquia

28 November 2006

Title

"Cognitive Vulnerability to Anxiety and Depression: Examining Specificity within the Tripartite and Cognitive Content Models"
 

Speaker

Holly Schleicher, M.A., is a 3rd year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at the University of Montana. She is primarily interested in depression, anxiety, and health psychology. Her supervisor is Dr. Duncan Campbell.
 

Time & Venue

4:10pm, SS 356
 

Abstract

The overlapping symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the frequent co-occurrence of these two conditions make it necessary to evaluate the specificity of proposed risk factors. This study prospectively evaluated the specificity of cognitive vulnerability to anxiety (CVA) and to depression (CVD) to the three dimensions of mood and physiology outlined by the tripartite model. One hundred eighty-two undergraduate students completed questionnaires assessing anxious and depressed symptoms and cognitions, cognitive vulnerability, and life stressors at two time points spaced 5-6 weeks apart. It was hypothesized that the interaction of CVD and negative life events would predict the distinct component of depression (anhedonia), but not anxiety (anxious arousal). Then, it was hypothesized that the interaction of CVA and negative life events would predict the distinct component of anxiety (anxious arousal), but not depression (anhedonia). It was also hypothesized that the interaction of both CVA and CVD with negative life events would predict negative affect, the shared component of anxiety and depression. Given that nonsignificant results occurred for all interaction models, the specificity hypothesis could not be confirmed nor refuted. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Return to Psychology Colloquia 

last revised 28 August 2006

Department of Psychology Main Site | The University of Montana Main Site