Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate psychological correlates of private self-consciousness which has shown both adaptive & maladaptive aspects. Three-hundred forty undergraduates completed the Self-Consciousness Scale(SCS), the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale(CES-D), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI). the Private self-consciousness Subscale of the SCS was correlated negatively with depression and anxiety, while the Public Self-consciousness Subscaie shared positive correlation with anxiety, and the Social Anxiety Subscale, with depression & anxiety. The present study also replicated previous findings of the two-factor structure of private self-consciousness, with differences in the content of each factor. In the present study, the first factor was interpreated to represent general reflectiveness of self and the second, awareness of immediate emotion. General reflectiveness of self, but not awareness of immediate emotion, had negative correlations with depression and anxiety, an indication of high adaptiveness. On the basis of these findings, clinical implications and cultural differences of private self-consciousness were discussed.