Abstract
The present report describes the development of a self-statement inventory for the assessment of anxious self-talk, the Anxious Self-Statements Questionnaire (ASSQ). Psychometrically defined groups (using dual criteria) of high anxious and normal level anxious undergraduates were arranged in both initial item-selection and cross-validation samples. Thirty-two items discriminated between criterion groups. Estimates of reliability were quite acceptable. Males and females did not differ in responses to the ASSQ. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution. A second study found the ASSQ to be sensitive to a stressful event. Discussion includes consideration of the use of the ASSQ to assess intervention-produced change in the frequency of anxious self-talk, the need for further study using clinical samples, and the important of exploring the role of anxious self-talk by using multiple methods of measurement. The ASSQ may provide a measure to facilitate further study of the cognitive information processing difficulties associated with anxiety disorders.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnkoff, D. B., & Glass, C. R. (1982). Clinical cognitive constructs: Examination, evaluation, and elaboration. In P. C. Kendall (Ed.),Advances in cognitive-behavioral research and therapy (Vol. 1). New York: Academic Press.
Beck, A. T., & Emery, G. (1985).Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. New York: Basic Books.
Blackwell, R. T., Galassi, J. P., Galassi, M. D., & Watson, T. E. (1985). Are cognitive assessments equal? A comparison of think aloud and thought listing.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9 399–413.
Borkovec, T. D., Werts, T. C., & Bernstein, D. A. (1977). Assessment of anxiety. In A. R. Ciminero, K. C. Calhoun, & H. E. Adams (Eds.),Handbook of behavioral assessment. New York: Wiley.
Clark, D. A. (1988). The validity of measures of cognition: A review of the literature.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 12 1–20.
Clark, D. M. (1986). A cognitive approach to panic.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24 461–470.
Dobson, K. S., & Breiter, H. J. (1983). Cognitive assessment of depression: Reliability and validity of three measures.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92 107–109.
Ellis, A. (1962).Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. New York: Lyle Stuart.
Glass, C. R., Merluzzi, T. V., Biever, J. L., & Larsen, K. H. (1982). Cognitive assessment of social anxiety: Development and validation of a self-statement questionnaire.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 6 37–56.
Goldfried, M. R. (1979). Anxiety reduction through cognitive-behavioral intervention. In P. C. Kendall & S. D. Hollon (Eds.),Cognitive-behavioral interventions: Theory, research, and procedures. New York: Academic Press.
Hammen, C., & Krantz, S. E. (1985). Measures of psychological processes in depression. In E. Beckman & W. Leber (Eds.),Depression: Treatment, assessment, and research. Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press.
Harrell, T. H., & Ryon, N. B. (1983). Cognitive-behavioral assessment of depression: Clinical validation of the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51 721–725.
Hodges, W., & Spielberger, C. D. (1966). The effects of threat of shock on heart rate for subjects who differ in manifest anxiety and fear of shock.Psychophysiology, 6 287–294.
Hollon, S. D., & Kendall, P. C. (1980). Cognitive self-statements in depression: Development of an Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4 384–395.
Hollon, S. D., Kendall, P. C., & Lumry, A. (1986). The specificity of depressotypic cognitions in clinical depression.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95 52–60.
Hollon, S. D., & Kriss, M. (1986). Cognitive factors in clinical research and practice.Clinical Psychology Review, 4 35–76.
Ingram, R. E., & Kendall, P. C. (1986). Cognitive clinical psychology: Implications of an information processing perspective. In R. E. Ingram (Ed.),Information processing approaches to clinical psychology (pp. 3–21). New York: Academic Press.
Ingram, R. E., & Kendall, P. C. (1987). The cognitive side of anxiety.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 11 523–537.
Ingram, R. E., Kendall, P. C., Smith, T. W., Donnell, C., & Ronan, K. (1987). Cognitive specificity in emotional distress.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53 734–742.
Kendall, P. C., (1978). Anxiety: States, traits, — situations?Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46 280–287.
Kendall, P. C. (1981). Assessment and cognitive-behavioral interventions: Purposes, proposals and problems. In P. C. Kendall & S. D. Hollon (Eds.),Assessment strategies for cognitive-behavioral interventions. New York: Academic Press.
Kendall, P. C., Finch, A. J., Jr., Auerbach, S. M., Hooke, J. F., & Mikulka, P. J. (1976). The state-trait anxiety inventory: A systematic evaluation.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44 406–412.
Kendall, P. C., & Hollon, S. D. (1981). Assessing self-referent speech: Methods in the measurement of self-statements. In P. C. Kendall & S. D. Hollon (Eds.),Assessment strategies for cognitive-behavioral interventions. New York: Academic Press.
Kendall, P. C., Howard, B., & Hays, R. (1987).Self-talk and psychopathology: The balance of positive and negative thinking. Manuscript submitted for publication, Temple University.
Kendall, P. C., & Ingram, R. E. (1987). The future for cognitive assessment of anxiety: Let's get specific. In L. Michelson & M. Ascher (Eds.),Stress and anxiety: Cognitive-behavioral assessment and therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
Kendall, P. C., & Korgeski, G. P. (1979). Assessment and cognitive-behavioral interventions.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 3 1–21.
Kendall, P. C., Williams, L., Pechacek, T. F., Graham, L., Shisslak, C., & Herzoff, N. (1979). Cognitive-behavioral and patient education interventions in cardiac catheterization procedures: The Palo Alto medical psychology project.Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 47 49–58.
Kuder, G., & Richardson, M. (1937). The theory of estimation of test reliability.Psychometrika, 2 151–160.
Lick, J. R., & Katkin, E. S. (1976). Assessment of anxiety and fear. In M. Hersen & A. S. Bellack (Eds.),Behavioral assessment: A practical handbook. New York: Pergamon Press.
Marzillier, J. S. (1980). Cognitive therapy and behavioral practice.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 18 249–258.
Meichenbaum, D. (1977).Cognitive-behavior modifications: An integrative approach. New York: Plenum Press.
Meichenbaum, D. H., Gilmore, J., & Fedoravicious, A. (1971). Group insight versus group desensitization in treating speech anxiety.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 36 410–421.
Meichenbaum, D., & Turk, D. (1976). The cognitive-behavioral management of anxiety, anger, and pain. In P. O. Davidson (Ed.),The behavioral management of anxiety, depression, and pain. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Paul, G. L. (1966).Insight versus desensitization in psychotherpy. Stanford: Stanford University.
Simons, A. D., Garfield, S. L., & Murphy, G. E. (1984). The process of change in cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy of depression.Archives of General Psychiatry, 41 45–51.
Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970).Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Self-Evaluation Questionnaire). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Turk, D. C., & Speers, M. A. (1983). Cognitive schemata and cognitive processes in cogitive-behavioral interventions: Going beyond the information given. In P. C. Kendall (Ed.),Advances in cognitive-behavioral research and therapy (Vol. 2). New York: Academic Press.
Welsh, G. (1956). Factor dimensions A and R. In G. Welsh and W. G. Dahlstrom (Eds.),Basic readings on the MMPI in psychology and medicine. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Wolpe, J. (1958).Psychotherapy by reciprocal inhibition. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Zweig, D. R., & Brown, S. D. (1985). Psychometric evaluation of a written presentation format for the Social Interaction Self-Statement Test.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9 285–296.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kendall, P.C., Hollon, S.D. Anxious self-talk: Development of the Anxious Self-Statements Questionnaire (ASSQ). Cogn Ther Res 13, 81–93 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01178491
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01178491