distinguishing among within-person variability: affective intra-individual variability, affective

88 Pages·2017·1.28 MB·English

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Theses and Dissertations--Psychology Psychology
2015
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Jaime Hardy
University of Kentucky, [email protected]
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Hardy, Jaime, "DISTINGUISHING AMONG WITHIN-PERSON VARIABILITY: AFFECTIVE INTRA-INDIVIDUAL
VARIABILITY, AFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, AND HEALTH IN A NATIONAL US SAMPLE"
(2015). Theses and Dissertations--Psychology. 64.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_etds/64
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Jaime Hardy, Student
Dr. Suzanne Segerstrom, Major Professor
Dr. David Berry, Director of Graduate Studies
DISTINGUISHING AMONG WITHIN-PERSON VARIABILITY: AFFECTIVE INTRA-
INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY, AFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, AND
HEALTH IN A NATIONAL US SAMPLE

DISSERTATION

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of
Kentucky

By
Jaime Kirsten Hardy

Lexington, Kentucky

Director: Suzanne Segerstrom, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology
Lexington KY
2015



Copyright Jaime Kirsten Hardy 2015
ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION

DISTINGUISHING AMONG WITHIN-PERSON VARIABILITY: AFFECTIVE INTRA-
INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY, AFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, AND
HEALTH IN A NATIONAL US SAMPLE

Affective intra-individual variability (IIV) and affective psychological
flexibility (PF) are both types of within-person variability. Affective IIV is defined as
the range of emotions experienced by an individual assessed at multiple time points.
PF is defined as the ability to vary one’s responses in a contextually dependent
manner in order to appropriately meet situational demands.Currently, there are no
comparisons between affective IIV and PF demonstrating how these constructs
might be uniquely different from each other. The current study proposed to
examine affective IIV and PF in order to establish discriminant and convergent
validity, and stability data for each construct. The National Study of Daily
Experiences (NSDE) waves 1 and 2, an 8-day daily diary portion of the Midlife
Development in the United States (MIDUS I) and MIDUS II surveys was used for this
study (n =793 adults completed both waves of the NSDE). Affective IIV was related
to higher mean NA and neuroticism, and lower perceived control. Affective PF was
related to lower mean NA, neuroticism, and higher mean PA and perceived control.
Higher affective IIV was associated with more psychological distress when assessed
concurrently at both waves and predicted more psychological distress and physical
ill-health 10 years later. Higher affective PF was related to less psychological
distress and physical ill-health when assessed concurrently at wave 1 and less
psychological distress and physical ill-health 10 years later. When situational
context is included in the calculation of emotional variability, changes in emotional
response may represent emotional complexity and increased control rather than
emotional lability and are related to better psychological and physical outcomes.
KEYWORDS: within-person variability, intra-individual variability, affective
psychological flexibility, physical health, psychological health, MIDUS

Jaime Hardy, M.S.

4/22/15
DISTINGUISHING AMONG WITHIN-PERSON VARIABILITY: AFFECTIVE INTRA-
INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY, AFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, AND
HEALTH IN A NATIONAL US SAMPLE

By

Jaime Kirsten Hardy

Suzanne Segerstrom, Ph.D.
Director of Dissertation

David Berry, Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Studies

4/22/15
To the women in my life who have encouraged, challenged, and supported me along
the way: Elzbieta Wala, Jewell Sloan, Karen Billings, Jenn Young, Lise Solberg Nes,
and Suzanne Segerstrom. To my mother, Kelly Hardison, who said that if she could
teach me how to learn, I could do anything. You were right.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Research reported in this dissertation was supported by the National Institute on
Aging Grant P01 AG020166 and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Research Network for the MIDUS (Midlife in the United States) investigation. The
National Study of Daily Experiences was supported by the NIH Grants P01
AG0210166-02 and R01 AG19239.

I thank the staff of the Clinical Research Centers at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, UCLA, and Georgetown University for their support in conducting the
Biomarker portion of this study. Supported by the following grants M01-RR023942
(Georgetown), M01-RR00865 (UCLA) from the General Clinical Research Centers
Program and 1UL1RR025011 (UW) from the Clinical and Translational Science
Award (CTSA) program of the National Center for Research Resources, National
Institutes of Health.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................... v
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... vi
Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
Within-Person Variability of Affect ............................................................................................................. 2
Theories of Affective Psychological Flexibility ....................................................................................... 3
Trait Analyses ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Stability ................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Convergent Validity ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Predictive and Discriminant Validity ......................................................................................................... 9
Aims and Hypotheses ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2: Methods ............................................................................................................................. 11
Participants ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
Procedure ............................................................................................................................................................ 11
Measures .............................................................................................................................................................. 13
Variables Used for Convergent and Discriminant Validity ........................................................ 13
Variables Used for Predictive Validity ................................................................................................ 15
Composite Scores for Outcome Variables .............................................................................................. 17
Construction of Affective IIV and PF Variables .................................................................................... 18
Affective Intra-Individual Variability .................................................................................................. 19
Maintenance of Emotional Complexity Model (Complexity Variability) of Affective PF
............................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Dynamic Model of Affect (Dynamic Variability) of Affective PF .............................................. 23
Means, Correlations and Stability Across Time for Affective IIV and PF ................................... 24
Within-Wave Stability of Affective IIV and PF ...................................................................................... 24
Tables for Chapter 2: Methods .................................................................................................................... 26
Figures for Chapter 2: Methods .................................................................................................................. 31
Chapter 3: Results ................................................................................................................................ 35
Convergent and Discriminant Validity .................................................................................................... 35
Predictive Validity ............................................................................................................................................ 36
Concurrent Relationships Between Affective IIV, PF, and Health ........................................... 36
Longitudinal Relationships Between Affective IIV, PF, and Health ........................................ 37
Tables for Chapter 3: Results ....................................................................................................................... 39
Figures for Chapter 3: Results ..................................................................................................................... 57
Chapter 4: Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 59
Limitations .......................................................................................................................................................... 63
Future Directions .............................................................................................................................................. 64
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 65
References .............................................................................................................................................. 67
VITA .......................................................................................................................................................... 72

iv
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Sample Characteristics ..................................................................................................26
Table 2.2 Correlations between variables for physical ill-health for Wave 1 and
Wave 2..............................................................................................................................28
Table 2.3 Correlations between variables for psychological distress for Wave 1 and
Wave 2..............................................................................................................................28
Table 2.4 Means, SD, Range, and Stability for Affective IIV and PF .................................29
Table 2.5 Correlations Between Affective IIV and PF for Wave 1 (below diagonal)
and Wave 2 (above diagonal)..................................................................................30
Table 3.1 Correlations Between Affective IIV and PF and Personality for Wave 1 and
2 ..........................................................................................................................................39
Table 3.2 Multilevel Regression Coefficients for Affective IIV and PF for Wave 1 and
Wave 2..............................................................................................................................41
Table 3.3 Relationships between NA IIV and Concurrent Health Outcomes ..............44
Table 3.4 Relationships between PA IIV and Concurrent Health Outcomes ..............45
Table 3.5 Relationships between Emotional Complexity Model (Congruency
Variability PF) and Concurrent Health Outcomes .........................................46
Table 3.6 Relationships between Maintenance of Emotional Complexity Model
(Complexity Variability PF) and Concurrent Health Outcomes ...............47
Table 3.7 Relationships between Dynamic Model of Affect (Dynamic Variability PF)
and Concurrent Health Outcomes .........................................................................48
Table 3.8 Relationship Between NA IIV at Wave 1 with Health Outcomes 10 Years
Later (Wave 2) ..............................................................................................................49
Table 3.9 Relationship Between PA IIV at Wave 1 with Health Outcomes 10 Years
Later (Wave 2) ..............................................................................................................50
Table 3.10 Relationship Between Emotional Congruency Model (Congruency
Variability PF) at Wave 1 with Health Outcomes 10 Years Later (Wave
2) ........................................................................................................................................51
Table 3.11 Relationship Between Maintenance of Emotional Complexity Model
(Complexity Variability PF) at Wave 1 with Health Outcomes 10 Years
Later (Wave 2) ..............................................................................................................52
Table 3.12 Relationship Between Dynamic Model of Affect (Dynamic Variability PF)
at Wave 1 with Health Outcomes 10 Years Later (Wave 2) ........................53
Table 3.13 Affective IIV and PF as Concurrent Predictors of Health ..............................54
Table 3.14 Affective IIV and PF as Predictors of Health 10 Years Later ........................56
v