Self-Reported and other-rated trait anxiety and defensiveness in repressor, low-anxious, high-anxious, and defensive high-anxious groups

Abstract

Self-reported measures of trait anxiety and defensiveness were obtained from 158 participants, and other-ratings on the same dimensions were obtained from raters who knew them well. Repressers (individuals low in trait anxiety and high in defensiveness) had significantly higher other-rated than self-reported trait anxiety, whereas high-anxious individuals (high in trait anxiety and low in defensiveness) and defensive high-anxious individuals (high in trait anxiety and defensivenesss) had significantly lower other-rated than self-reported trait anxiety. Repressors had significantly lower self-reported than other-rated trait anxiety, whereas high-anxious and defensive high-anxious individuals had higher self-reported than other-rated trait anxiety. The findings were related to a theory of trait anxiety proposed by Eysenck (Anxiety and Cognition: A Unified Theory 1997, Hove, UK: Psychology Press) and Eysenck and Derakshan (Cognitive approaches to trait anxiety, submitted).

Key Words:

• Self-ratings
• Other-ratings
• Trait anxiety
• Defensiveness
• Repressors