Daily reports of symptoms and negative affect: Not all symptoms are the same

Abstract

The interplay between state negative affect (SNA) and somatic symptoms is well-established in daily life, but the nature of the association is unclear. Questions remain regarding the role, if any, that SNA plays apart from trait negative affect (TNA), the direction of the association, and whether the relationship with SNA varies according to symptom type. Associations between three constellations of somatic symptoms and SNA were examined in adults (N = 781) queried on eight consecutive evenings. Inter- and intra-individual variation in temporal and concurrent associations were examined, with models including both state and trait negative affect. All symptoms were related to concurrent measures of SNA. Lagged associations varied by symptom type. No lagged analyses including respiratory symptoms were significant. Prior pain symptoms predicted SNA, and prior SNA predicted pain and gastrointestinal symptoms. TNA, however, mediated the association between prior pain symptoms and SNA.

Keywords:

• State negative affect
• trait negative affect
• somatic symptoms

Acknowledgements

The research reported in this article was supported by grants from the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development and the National Institute on Aging (AG16731). The authors wish to thank Melanie Horn Mallers for her research assistance and editing comments.