Abstract

This study investigated the effects of affectivity and types of stress on common and specific symptoms of depression and anxiety based on the tripartite model of depression and anxiety. First, it tested the role of affectivity as a vulnerability factor. Second, it examined the effects of specific types of stress according to cognitive content-specificity hypothesis. Common and specific symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured with Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire. Affectivity and stress were also measured with Negative Emotionality Scale and Positive Emotionality Scale and Stress Questionnaire. 360 female college students participated for the study. The results showed that negative affectivity(NA) acted as a vulnerability factor for common symptoms of depression and anxiety and low positive affectivity(PA) acted as a vulnerability factor for depression-specific symptoms. Stresses including future harm and danger increased the level of anxiety-specific symptoms in interaction with NA among individuals who have moderate level of NA. In contrast, among the groups of high and low NA, NA and stresses including future harm and danger did not interact, predicting anxiety-specific symptoms independently. There was no interaction of NA and stresses including past loss and failure on depression-specific symptoms. They predicted depression-specific symptoms independently. Stresses including past loss and failure predicted only depression-specific symptoms, thus partly supporting cognitive content-specificity hypothesis. Lack of positive events predicted depression-specific symptoms above all other symptoms. Finally, clinical implications of the study were discussed in view of cognitive and behavior therapy. Limitations of the study and suggestion for future research were also discussed.