Joan Joesting

Test-Retest Reliabilities of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in an Academic Setting

The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970) is based on state-trait conceptualization of anxiety as consisting of two separate concepts, state anxiety ( A-State) and trait anxiety (A-Trait) . State anxiety is considered a transitory emotional state that is characterized by consciously perceived feelings of tension and apprehension. Trait anxiety refers to relatively stable individual differences in anxiery proneness. This study assessed the reliability of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory administered to 48 male and 7 6 female students in three sections of an undergraduate educational psychology course before and after a previously announced classroom examination over both lectures and textbook.

Comparison of Runners and Nonrunners on the Body-Cathexis and Self-Cathexis Scales

There is no known reported research comparing runners with a nonrunning group on the Secord-Jourard Body-cathexis and Self-cathexis Scales (Secord & Jourard, 1953). Thus the purpose of this study was to make that comparison since running is said to increase both body-concept and self-concept (Andrews, 1978). The first author administered the two scales to 56 male and 24 female runners at local races in Florida during the competition. The nonrunners (14 males, 31 females) were students in introductory psychology courses at a southeastern university. Using Students t test, significant differences were found between the means of the male runners and nonrunners (runners Body Cathexis M = 140.34, SD = 15.80; nonrunners M = 129.50, SD = 12.62; diff. = 10.84, t = 2.64, p < .01). On the Self-cathexis Scale, runners M = 145.36 (SD = 16.98); nonrunners M = 131.21 (SD = 17.94; diff. = 14.15, t = 2.55, p < .01). While the difference between the means for the female runners and nonrunners was in the right direction, there were no statistically significant mean differences on either scale. There were also no significant differences between the sexes, but the male runners did appear to have better self-concepts on the Self-cathexis Scale as well as a better concept of their bodies. Secord and Jourard (1953) reported a correlation between Bodyand Self-cathexis Scales of .58 for the men and .68 for the women. For present data, the correlation was .65 for both sexes.

Male and Female Prison Inmates' Differences on MMPI Scales and Revised Beta IQ

MMPI protocols of all male and female prisoners in the North Carolina Correctional System in 1971 were compared. Female inmates had significantly higher (p < .01) IQs than did the males. With the exception of the Ap, L, and K scales, males had statistically significant higher means on all MMPI scales. Women were only higher on the Ap and K scales. The males appeared significantly more emotionally disturbed, which suggests that emotionally disturbed women may be admitted to a mental hospital.

Test-Retest Reliabilities of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in an Academic Setting: Replication

T o replicate a scudy of the reliability of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory administered to 124 students in educational psychology courses before and after a previously announced classroom examination during the 1974 fall semester (Joesting, 1975) this scudy was done. Under similar conditions, in the current study the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered twice (before and after an examination) to 101 students ( 3 3 males, 69 females) enrolled in educational psychology courses during the 1975 spring semester at the same college. N o significant sex differences were found. T h e mean for the first administration of the A-State (State Anxiety) was 46.42 ( S D = 12.11), and the second administration mean was 39.81 (SD = 12.39). A t test indicates the difference of 6.61 for two administrations is significant ( p = .01) . In the previous study, the significant difference was similar, 6.46. State Anxiety is considered a transitory emotional state characterized by consciously perceived feelings of tension, while Trait Anxiety is a relatively stable individual difference in anxiety proneness (Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970). The mean of the firsc administration of the Trait Anxiety (A-Trait) was 42.95 (SD = 9.35) and second mean, 41.57 (SD = 8.81) . This difference of 1.38 was not statistically significant. In the previous study, the difference was 1.01. Correlations among the two administrations of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were: first and second A-State .66 ( p < .01) , and firsc and second A-Trait .60 ( p < . 01) . These results Lend additional support to Joescing (1975) and Spielberger, Gorsuch, and Lushene (1970) in that under anxiety-provoking situations such as an examination the State-Anxiety of undergraduate students rises, while the Trait-Anxiety remains almost the same.

Body-cathexis and self-cathexis in an interactional, awareness training class.

This study examined the effects of a psychology of adjustment class on body-acceptance and self-acceptance. An introductory psychology class served as a control group. Subjects were pre- and posttested with the Body-cathexis and Self-cathexis scales. Two by two analyses of covariance indicated that the adjustment group showed a larger gain on both scales than the control. Sex interacted with group significantly on the Body-cathexis scale only. Means indicated that the main effect of groups on the Body-cathexis scale may be attributed to the larger gains by females in the adjustment class.

Views of School Psychologists and other Groups by Adolescent and Adult Runners

Assuming their good physical and mental health, 24 adolescent and 76 adult foot-racers were administered a questionnaire about unusual groups. Adolescent runners indicated statistically significantly mote dislike for school psychologists, janitors, Jews, blacks, marijuana smokers, womens liberation members, hippies, nurses, school teachers, ex-convicts, homosexuals, lesbians, motorcycle riders, and college professors than did the adult runners. The adolescent runners disliked alcoholics, and even joggers/foot racers more than did the adult runners. No statistically significant sex differences were found.