The specificity of the ASI and the ACS in predicting state anxiety following four different Velten-like mood inductions

This study tested whether anxiety sensitivity (AS; measured by the ASI; Reiss, Peterson, Gursky & McNally, 1986), fear of losing control of emotions (measured by the Affective Control Scale; ACS, Williams, Chambless & Ahrens, 1997) and trait anxiety [measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Trait version (STAI-T; Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene,1983)] predicted state anxiety following a variety of mood inductions. Ninety-six college students completed trait and state mood measures before undergoing one of four Velten-like (Velten, 1968) mood induction procedures (Anger, Anxiety, Elation or Serenity). The Anger, Anxiety and Serenity inductions were effective but the Elation induction was not and that data was disregarded. The ACS and the STAI-T predicted state anxiety following the Anger, Anxiety and Serenity inductions. The ASI predicted the degree of state anxiety participants felt following the Anxiety induction, but it did not predict state anxiety following the Anger or Serenity inductions. This suggests the ASI captures variance relevant to the experience of anxiety while the ACS more broadly captures variance related to the experience of other emotions as well. The four sub-scales of the ACS were highly inter-correlated, exhibited solid internal reliability but did not evidence specific predictive validity. In this data set it appears the ACS measures one unitary construct and the sub-scales in their current form do not offer any specific information above that provided by the full scale. These findings were discussed in the context of the breadth of these measures and their underlying measured constructs.