Naturalistic interpersonal behavior patterns differentiate depression and anxiety symptoms in the community.

Abstract

Symptoms of depression and anxiety are associated with interpersonal problems that, in turn, exacerbate and maintain these symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to identify patterns of interpersonal behavior characteristic of each syndrome, particularly whether intraindividual variability in interpersonal behavior differentiates between anxiety and depression symptoms. After reporting on depression and anxiety symptoms, community participants recorded their behavior following interpersonal interactions over 21 days. Participants' interpersonal behavior at each event was measured using behavior dimensions from the interpersonal circumplex: dominant, submissive, agreeable, and quarrelsome. Mean levels of behavior and intraindividual variability were computed over events and then regressed on depression and anxiety symptoms using structural equation modeling. Elevations in reported depression and anxiety symptoms were both associated with elevated mean-level quarrelsome and submissive behavior. Independent of mean-level behavior and concurrent depression symptoms, elevated anxiety symptoms were associated with elevated variability in agreeable, dominant, and submissive behavior and with elevated variability in type of interpersonal behavior (i.e., spin). Depression symptoms were unrelated to variability in interpersonal behavior. Results demonstrate that variability in behavior distinguishes anxiety from depression symptoms.

Behavioral landscapes and earth mover’s distance: A new approach for studying individual differences in density distributions

“…Consistent with other experience sampling studies (e.g., Rappaport, Moskowitz, & D’Antono, 2014; Roche, Pincus, Hyde, Conroy, & Ram, 2013), differences in the extent of angular dispersion and/or dispersion along the agency dimension are features of intraindividual variability that differentiate individuals’ interpersonal behavior and perceptions. Specifically, after locating differences with respect to overall levels of behavior (i.e., MDS 1 and MDS 2 map closely to iMean of agency and iMean of communion), the third coordinate in the multidimensional space also provided meaningful description of the between-person differences in iLandscapes describing individuals’ own others’ interpersonal behavior.…”

Psychological Profiles in the Prediction of Leukocyte Telomere Length in Healthy Individuals

“…Behavioural and physiological differences may have contributed to differential profiles in TL. While our post-hoc analyses suggest that stress responses were not responsible for our findings, at least as measured concurrently, we have shown greater variability in interpersonal behaviours among more anxious versus depressed participants in this same sample [60]. While perhaps less predictable compared to depressed individuals, anxious individuals may be more adaptable in various life situations.…”

“…For work published from this study, see [53–60]. The results presented are based on data obtained from the follow-up evaluation (time 2) of the prospective study.…”

Depression symptoms moderate the association between emotion and communal behavior.

“…Prior research on intraindividual behavioral variability in this sample documented that depression and anxiety symptoms were not associated with restricted variability in interpersonal behavior (Rappaport et al, 2014). To examine variability in affect, the standard deviation of affect was computed over events within person.…”

“…Considerable research suggests that depression symptoms are associated with elevated quarrelsome behavior (Hokanson & Butler, 1992; Kahn, Coyne, & Margolin, 1985; Rappaport, Moskowitz, & D’Antono, 2014). One explanation for elevated quarrelsome behavior is that depressed individuals respond more to social cues which elicit quarrelsome behavior.…”