Anxity and actualization: A reconceptualization

Abstract

In line with Dabrowki's theory of Positive Disintegration, deGrace recently reported no significant difference in terms of anxiety level between groups of actualized and nonactualized Ss. Several methodological and theoretical flaws noted in the deGrace study led the present authors to hypothesize that actualized Ss would score significantly lower than nonactualized Ss on separate but conceptually related measures of manifest or neurotic anxiety. Ss (83 females and 42 males) were administered the Personal Orientation Inventory, the IPAT Anxiety Scale, and the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. The results, which substantiate the hypothesis that levels of actualization and anxiety are correlated negatively, are discussed in relation to the conceptual distinction between debilitating and facilitating anxiety and their respective effects on psychological growth.

Anxiety and actualization: Further research

“…Previous findings (Wilkins et al, 1977) clearly indicate that some reformulation of the deGrace position is required. I n our proposed scheme the healthoriented person is one who is relatively free from debilitating or neurotic anxiety.…”

“…His empirical data suggest that high self-actualizing male college students are as high in manifest anxiety as their low self-actualizing peers. However, previous investigations by the principal investigator (Wilkins et al, 1977) question not only the empirical basis for deGrace's conclusions, but also deGrace's formulation of the issue. Rather than the two-fold perceptive offered by deGrace: (1) traditional theories of personality have not emphasized the positive aspects of anxiety; and (2) Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration is different from traditional theories of personality (with reference to anxiety) and can be supported by the theories of several contemporary theorists.…”

“…(1) high self-actualized Ss would have lower manifest anxiety scores than low self-actualized Ss ; and (2) high self-actualized Ss would be susceptible to facilitating anxiety. The pattern of intercorrelations supports these hypotheses, and, in general, supports the reformulation of self-actualization and anxiety proposed by Wilkins et al The correlation between manifest anxiety and actualization is approximately of the same magnitude as that found in previous research (TMASXI = .41, Wilkins et al 1977); TMASXI = .31 p < .01 (present study, thereby replicating, in part, Wilkins et al 1977). Ss who scored high on the actualization measure tended to score low on measures of manifest anxiety (TMASXI = -.31; OAXI = -38).…”

“…As Damm (1969) demonstrated the validity of using the I Scale as an index of actualization, only it was used in the data analysis to be presented, as in a previous investigation (Wilkins et al, 1977); (2) as in a previous investigation (Wilkins et al, 1977), Approximately 31 graduate and undergraduate students served as Ss. All Anxiety and Actualization 9.59 the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS) (Taylor, 1953) was employed to assess debilitating anxiety; (3) the State-Trait Anxiety Battery, developed by Cattell (1976), was used to measure facilitating and debilitating anxiety and is the crucial dependent variable in the present experiment.…”

“…It was argued above that self-actualizing people are relatively free, from debilitating or trait anxiety, but are susceptible to facilitating or state anxiety as a necessary condition for psychological health and growth. Point one was demonstrated previously (Wilkins et al, 1977); the present study tests point two: that self-actualized people are susceptible to state anxiety, as are nonactualiaed people.…”