ABSTRACT

Background

Character strengths and virtues may shape responses to stressors and risk for anxious and depressive distress. However, most studies have relied on cross-sectional designs, and it remains unclear whether virtues directly predict distress in daily life or buffer context-specific stressors. We tested whether higher-order intellectual (inquisitiveness), intrapersonal (self-control), and interpersonal virtues (caring) prospectively predicted coping responses and lower symptoms, and moderated effects of specific stressors on distress.

Methods

Treatment-seeking individuals diagnosed with anxiety/depression (N = 81; Study 1) and students (N = 112; Study 2) completed the VIA Inventory of Strengths survey at baseline, then experience-sampling of daily symptoms and situational responses (perceptions and/or coping strategies) over seven days (Study 1) or five weeks (Study 2).

Results

Multilevel models generally linked virtues to more adaptive daily responses during individuals’ worst and best daily events (Study 1) and worst events (Study 2), but inquisitiveness unexpectedly predicted higher symptoms in both studies. Additionally, virtues buffered against the within-person effects of specific stressor perceptions on distress (Study 2).

Conclusions

The relevance of character virtues for anxiety, stress, and coping may be complex, predicting higher or lower symptoms depending on both the virtue and the situational context.

中文翻译：

---

性格美德前瞻性地预测临床和亚临床样本对日常生活中情境压力源的反应

摘要

背景

性格优势和美德可能会影响对压力源的反应以及焦虑和抑郁困扰的风险。然而，大多数研究都依赖于横断面设计，尚不清楚美德是直接预测日常生活中的痛苦还是缓冲特定环境的压力源。我们测试了高阶智力（好奇）、人际关系（自我控制）和人际美德（关怀）是否前瞻性地预测了应对反应和减轻症状，以及特定压力源对痛苦的缓和影响。

方法

被诊断为焦虑/抑郁的寻求治疗者（N  = 81；研究 1）和学生（N  = 112；研究 2）在基线时完成了 VIA 优势清单调查，然后对日常症状和情境反应（感知和/ 或应对策略）超过 7 天（研究 1）或 5 周（研究 2）。

结果

多层次模型通常将美德与个人在最坏和最好的日常事件（研究 1）和最坏的事件（研究 2）中更具适应性的日常反应联系起来，但在两项研究中，好奇心出人意料地预测了更高的症状。此外，美德缓冲了特定压力源感知对痛苦的个人内部影响（研究 2）。

结论

性格美德与焦虑、压力和应对的相关性可能很复杂，根据美德和情境来预测更高或更低的症状。