This study examined the role of anxiety sensitivity (the fear of anxiety symptoms because such symptoms are believed to have harmful consequences), anxiety, and depression in older adults and their relation to hypochondriacal concerns and medical illnesses. The sample included 53 clinic-referred (M age = 78.8 years), and 53 non-clinic referred (M age = 70.9 years) older adults. It was examined whether (1) anxiety sensitivity was elevated in the clinic-referred group relative to the non-referred group, (2) symptoms of anxiety, anxiety sensitivity and depression were related to number of medical illnesses and/or to hypochondriacal concerns, and (3) anxiety sensitivity was a better predictor of hypochondriacal concerns relative to depression or trait anxiety. The results indicated that anxiety sensitivity was significantly elevated in the clinic-referred group relative to the non-clinic referred group, was negatively associated with history of medical illnesses, was strongly associated with hypochondriacal concerns, and was a better predictor of hypochondriacal concerns than depression and trait anxiety. The findings are discussed in terms of problems facing older adults as they relate to the constructs of anxiety sensitivity and hypochondriacal concerns.

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Undergraduate students (N = 207) completed 3 individual difference measures and then evaluated 3 instructors based on scripts depicting interactions between the instructors and students. The first 2 scripts established a context and the third script served as the target stimulus. Comparison ratings were provided by a random context control condition. Contrast effects occurred in ratings of the average target stimulus, and the negative context had a larger impact than did the positive context. Both of these context effects were moderated by the rater's belief in the variability of human nature, but not by the rater's cognitive ability or field independence. Contrast effects also occurred in ratings of the positive target stimulus but not in ratings of the negative target stimulus, and in neither case was the context effect moderated by any of the individual difference variables.