Positive Affect and Social Anxiety Across the Lifespan: An Investigation of Age as a Moderator

Jaclyn S. Weisman; Thomas L. Rodebaugh; Patrick J. Brown; Elizabeth A. Mulligan

doi:10.1080/07317115.2014.970317

Positive Affect and Social Anxiety Across the Lifespan: An Investigation of Age as a Moderator

Jaclyn S. Weisman^*, Thomas L. Rodebaugh, Patrick J. Brown, Elizabeth A. Mulligan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent literature has supported a moderate, inverse relationship between social anxiety and positive affect. It has been proposed, but not clearly established, that the inverse relationship between the constructs may be stronger in younger adults than in adults who are older. We tested this hypothesis in two archival data sets of community participants. The expected age-related interaction was not found in Study 1, which used a measure capturing a conflation of valence and arousal known as activated positive affect. Conversely, the interaction was present in Study 2, in which the positive affect measure was primarily based on valence. We found only partial support for the hypothesis, and results highlight the need for a more comprehensive measure of positive affect.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-18
Number of pages	18
Journal	Clinical Gerontologist
Volume	38
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2014.970317
State	Published - Jan 1 2015

Funding

This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Aging (grant number 5 T32AG0030) and the National Institute of Mental Health (grant number T32 MH20004), as well as a Washington University dissertation fellowship.

Keywords

aging
anxiety disorders
positive affect
social anxiety
social phobia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Health(social science)
Clinical Psychology
Gerontology
Geriatrics and Gerontology

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10.1080/07317115.2014.970317

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Positive Affect and Social Anxiety Across the Lifespan: An Investigation of Age as a Moderator

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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