Effects of Mood Induction on State Anxiety and Relationship Between State Anxiety, Trait Anxiety and Personality Traits

Abstract

This research was conducted to study the effects of mood induction on state anxiety and to explore the relationship between state anxiety, trait anxiety and personality traits. According to existing literature, it was hypothesized in many studies, that level of state anxiety will be increased or decreased according to the nature of induced stimuli and state anxiety will be high among those who have high trait anxiety. A number of studies has also explored the relationship between personality traits and state and trait anxiety. In this study, a total of 246 students from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan participated. In class room settings, firstly state and trait anxiety were measured through State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), personality traits were measured through Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) was used to measure mood before and after induction and then positive and negative stimuli were presented and immediately effects of induced stimuli were measured through PANAS and after that state anxiety was measured through state version of STAI.  To test hypotheses, independent t-test, correlation and paired sample t-test techniques were used. Results revealed that nature of induced mood positive or negative can decrease or increase the anxiety level. Also, the study found a positive correlation between state and trait anxiety. Personality traits agreeableness and emotional stability negatively correlates with trait anxiety and conscientiousness positively correlates with state anxiety.