Digit span: An indicant of trait or state anxiety?

Abstract

Clinical psychologists generally interpret lower scores on Digit Span (DS) relative to other Wechsler subtests as indicating anxiety. However, research findings on this topic are inconsistent and difficult to interpret because of ambiguity with regard to the concept of anxiety. To clarify this ambiguity, Spielberger has proposed a conception of anxiety that elaborates on the distinction, initially proposed by Cattell and Scheirer, between anxiety as a transitory state (A-state) and as a relatively stable personality trait (A-trait). The present study evaluated the relationship between DS performance and measures of A-trait (Taylor Manifest Anxiety scale) and A-state (Zuckerman Adjective Checklist) for 12 male undergraduates. The 5s reporting high levels of A-state showed significant decrements in DS performance. There was no difference in the DS performance of high-and low-A-trait Ss.

Age and psychological influences on immune responses to trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in the meditation or exercise for preventing acute respiratory infection (MEPARI) trial

“…The LOT, PSS-10, and STAI are not intended for clinical use so no benchmarks can be directly linked with diagnosis or pathology. [26][27][28][29] The psychological status of the vaccine low-responders was not markedly deviant or out of the normal range, thus indicating that the influence of cognitive and emotional factors does not require an older individual be clinically depressed or in a chronically stressful situation. In this way our study is different from other research looking for immune suppression in the elderly, which often focuses on chronic stress such as being a caregiver for a spouse with dementia.…”

“…26 The participants' cognitive outlook and negative emotionality were assessed with the 6 item LOT 27 and STAI, respectively. 28 The SF-12 and PSS-10 were administered at baseline, 1 week post-intervention and monthly thereafter. The STAI and LOT were scored at baseline, 1 week post-intervention, and then again 3 months later.…”

Long-term outcome of presymptomatic testing in Huntington disease

“…Anxiety was evaluated with the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory of Spielberger (STAI I and II). It evaluates independently the actual anxiety at the moment of the assessment (anxiety state) and the more general and long-standing quality of 'trait anxiety' (anxiety-trait) 20 ; (e) A scale of subjective distress, the Impact of Event Scale, 21 was used to evaluate the impact of the test result (avoidance or intrusive thinking), The Social Adjustment Scale (SAS) 22 was used to assess subjective adaptation in work, social life, leisure, family, matrimonial and home relationships and material resources.…”

Associations between evaluation anxiety, cognitive interference and performance on working memory tasks

“…For example, Martin and Franzen (1989) used a correlational design and reported that state anxiety was associated with diminished performance on a test of central executive functioning (Stroop Colour-Word Test). Similarly, Hodges and Spielberger (1969) found that state anxiety was correlated with diminished performance on a phonological loop task (digit span backwards). Finally, Eysenck, Payne, and Derakshan (2005) reported that evaluation anxiety was not reliably correlated with diminished performance on a test of visuospatial reasoning.…”