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Papers by David Watson

PLoS currents, Jan 11, 2011

The Functional Rating Scale Taskforce for pre-Huntington Disease (FuRST-pHD) is a multinational, ... more The Functional Rating Scale Taskforce for pre-Huntington Disease (FuRST-pHD) is a multinational, multidisciplinary initiative with the goal of developing a data-driven, comprehensive, psychometrically sound, rating scale for assessing symptoms and functional ability in prodromal and early Huntington disease (HD) gene expansion carriers. The process involves input from numerous sources to identify relevant symptom domains, including HD individuals, caregivers, and experts from a variety of fields, as well as knowledge gained from the analysis of data from ongoing large-scale studies in HD using existing clinical scales. This is an iterative process in which an ongoing series of field tests in prodromal (prHD) and early HD individuals provides the team with data on which to make decisions regarding which questions should undergo further development or testing and which should be excluded. We report here the development and assessment of the first iteration of interview questions aimed...

Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2011

Assessing and diagnosing depression and anxiety in the presence of diabetes is complicated by ove... more Assessing and diagnosing depression and anxiety in the presence of diabetes is complicated by overlapping symptoms that, therefore, are etiologically ambiguous (e.g., fatigue, appetite disturbance, autonomic arousal). The goal of the current study is to test whether overlapping symptoms are affected by the presence of diabetes by comparing structural models of symptoms in adults with and without diabetes. Participants include 226 adults with diabetes and 380 healthy adults who completed questionnaires assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and health status. The most recent hemoglobin A1c lab result was obtained for diabetes patients. Multiple sample confirmatory factor analyses indicated that overlapping symptoms were strongly related to mood disturbance for adults with and without diabetes, suggesting that symptoms were not substantially influenced by diabetes. It is recommended that when overlapping symptoms are present in diabetes patients, depression and anxiety should be c...

Psychology and Aging, 2008

Informant reporting is important in the assessment of depression and anxiety among individuals wi... more Informant reporting is important in the assessment of depression and anxiety among individuals with cognitive impairment. We examined the influence of the visibility effect on the ease of rating depression and anxiety symptoms. 53 family members of dementia patients and 65 staff members working with cognitively impaired adults judged the ratability of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms item pool. Results indicated that Appetite Loss, Lassitude and Insomnia scales were easiest to rate; Suicidality and Traumatic Intrusions were most difficult to rate. Findings support the visibility effect and emphasize the importance of selecting easy to rate items for informants.

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2008

Objective-Obsessive and compulsive symptoms (OCS) are more prevalent in patients with diagnosed H... more Objective-Obsessive and compulsive symptoms (OCS) are more prevalent in patients with diagnosed Huntington's disease (HD) than in the general population. Although psychiatric symptoms have been reported in individuals with the HD gene expansion prior to clinical diagnosis (pre-HD), little is known about OCS in this phase of disease. Method-The goal of this study was to assess OCS in 300 pre-HD individuals and 108 nongene-expanded controls from the Neurobiological Predictors of Huntington's Disease (PREDICTHD)study (enrolled between November 2002 and April 2007) using a multidimensional, self-report measure of OCS, the Schedule of Compulsions, Obsessions, and Pathologic Impulses (SCOPI). Additionally, pre-HD individuals were classified into 3 prognostic groups on the basis of age and CAG repeat length as "near-to-onset" (< 9 estimated years to onset), "mid-to-onset" (9-15 years to onset), and "far-to-onset" (> 15 years to onset). We compared the 3 pre-HD groups to the controls on SCOPI total score and 5 subscales (checking, cleanliness, compulsive rituals, hoarding, and pathologic impulses), controlling for age and gender. Results-All models showed a significant (p < .05) group effect except for hoarding, with an inverted-U pattern of increasing symptoms: controls < far-to-onset < mid-to-onset, with the nearto-onset group being similar to controls. Although the mid-to-onset group showed the most pathology, mean scores were below those of patients with diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder. SCOPI items that separated pre-HD individuals from controls were focused on perceived cognitive errors and obsessive worrying.

Assessment, 2010

The Iowa Sleep Disturbances Inventory (ISDI) is a new measure of self-reported sleep difficulties... more The Iowa Sleep Disturbances Inventory (ISDI) is a new measure of self-reported sleep difficulties, which was designed to help facilitate research on the overlap of sleep disturbances and psychopathology. This instrument was developed in two large student samples using principal factor analyses; the psychometric properties of the scales were then examined in three additional samples (students, psychiatric patients, sleep disorder patients). The ISDI consists of 11 specific scales (Nightmares, Initial Insomnia, Fatigue, Fragmented Sleep, Nonrestorative Sleep, Anxiety at Night, Light Sleep, Movement at Night, Sensations at Night, Excessive Sleep, Irregular Schedule) and 1 general scale (Daytime Disturbances). The structure of the ISDI generalizes across both patient and nonpatient samples. In addition, the ISDI scales are internally consistent, show good retest reliability, demonstrate convergent and discriminant validity with widely used measures of sleep disturbances, and display cri...

Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2002

factor analysis was used to compare 6 models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, ra... more factor analysis was used to compare 6 models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, ranging from 1 to 4 factors, in a sample of 3,695 deployed Gulf War veterans (N ϭ 1,896) and nondeployed controls (N ϭ 1,799). The 4 correlated factors-intrusions, avoidance, hyperarousal, and dysphoria-provided the best fit. The dysphoria factor combined traditional markers of numbing and hyperarousal. Model superiority was cross-validated in multiple subsamples, including a subset of deployed participants who were exposed to traumatic combat stressors. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity correlations suggested that intrusions may be relatively specific to PTSD, whereas dysphoria may represent a nonspecific component of many disorders. Results are discussed in the context of hierarchical models of anxiety and depression.

Journal of Personality

Few studies have examined the links between personality variables and sleep and their combined ef... more Few studies have examined the links between personality variables and sleep and their combined effect on specific real-world outcomes. Participants in this study completed numerous personality, sleep, and performance measures; we examined the associations among these measures. Personality was assessed using the Five-Factor Model. The personality trait of Conscientiousness (especially its facet of Achievement Striving) was a substantial predictor of academic performance. Analyses of the sleep variables revealed three distinct constructs: quantity, quality, and schedule. Sleep quantity showed few interesting correlates. In contrast, sleep quality was associated with greater well-being and improved psychological functioning, whereas sleep schedule (i.e., average rising and retiring times) was significantly related to Conscientiousness, such that conscientious individuals maintain earlier schedules. The past 25 years have led to substantial changes in personality psychology. There is growing agreement on the nature of a trait

Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1990

Personality and Individual Differences, 2010

The trait of Disinhibition (versus Constraint; DvC) figures prominently in numerous personality f... more The trait of Disinhibition (versus Constraint; DvC) figures prominently in numerous personality frameworks and is linked to several psychiatric disorders. Recent findings indicate that this trait changes dramatically during young adulthood. In a cross-sectional analysis, the present study was conducted to explicate the nature of developmental shifts on general and specific components of DvC. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of commonly used DvC measures revealed robust age differences between younger (18-19 years-old) and older (22-25 years-old) participants on three components of DvC: Accomplishment, Self-control, and Agreeableness. However, the Accomplishment dimension demonstrated particularly strong age differences. These results further highlight the important personality development evident during young adulthood and point to both broad and specific changes in DvC during this time period.

Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1991

Psychological Assessment, 2005

Conceptual overlap and heterogeneity have long been noted as weaknesses of the Minnesota Multipha... more Conceptual overlap and heterogeneity have long been noted as weaknesses of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory's clinical scales. Restructured clinical (RC) scales recently were developed to address these concerns (A. Tellegen et al., 2003). The authors evaluated the psychometric properties of the RC scales in psychology clinic clients (N ϭ 285) and military veterans (N ϭ 567). The RC scales were as internally consistent as the clinical scales and correlated strongly with their original counterparts (except for RC3/Hysteria). They also were less intercorrelated, produced conceptually clearer relations with measures of personality and psychopathology, and yielded somewhat greater incremental utility than the clinical scales. Thus, the RC scales demonstrated several psychometric strengths while utilizing 60% fewer items, but the 2 sets of scales cannot be used interchangeably. Interpretive considerations are discussed.

Psychological Assessment, 2007

We describe a new self-report instrument, the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS)... more We describe a new self-report instrument, the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS), which was designed to assess specific symptom dimensions related to major depression and related anxiety disorders. We created the IDAS by conducting principal factor analyses in three large samples (college students, psychiatric patients, community adults); we also examined the robustness of its psychometric properties in five additional samples (high school students, college students, young adults, postpartum women, psychiatric patients) that were not involved in the scale development process. The IDAS contains 10 specific symptom scales: Suicidality, Lassitude, Insomnia, Appetite Loss, Appetite Gain, Ill Temper, Well-Being, Panic, Social Anxiety, and Traumatic Intrusions. It also includes two broader scales: General Depression (which contains items overlapping with several other IDAS scales) and Dysphoria (which does not). The scales (a) are internally consistent, (b) capture the target dimensions well, and (c) define a single underlying factor. They show strong short-term stability, and display excellent convergent validity and good discriminant validity in relation to other self-report and interviewbased measures of depression and anxiety.

Psychological Assessment, 2008

We explicated the validity of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS; Watson et a... more We explicated the validity of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS; Watson et al., 2007) in two samples (306 college students, and 605 psychiatric patients). The IDAS scales showed strong convergent validity in relation to parallel interview-based scores on the Clinician Rating version of the IDAS (IDAS-CR); the mean convergent correlations were .51 and .62 in the student and patient samples, respectively. With the exception of Well-Being, the scales also consistently demonstrated significant discriminant validity. Furthermore, the scales displayed substantial criterion validity in relation to DSM-IV mood and anxiety disorder diagnoses in the patient sample. We identified particularly clear and strong associations between (a) major depression and the IDAS General Depression, Dysphoria and Well-Being scales; (b) panic disorder and IDAS Panic; (c) posttraumatic stress disorder and IDAS Traumatic Intrusions; and (d) social phobia and IDAS Social Anxiety. Finally, in logistic regression analyses, the IDAS scales showed significant incremental validity in predicting several DSM-IV diagnoses when compared against the Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck & Steer, 1990).

Journal of Research in Personality, 2005

Journal of Personality Assessment, 2011

Assessment of personality disorders (PD) has been hindered by reliance on the problematic categor... more Assessment of personality disorders (PD) has been hindered by reliance on the problematic categorical model embodied in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Model of Mental Disorders (DSM), lack of consensus among alternative dimensional models, and inefficient measurement methods. This article describes the rationale for and early results from a multiyear study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health that was designed to develop an integrative and comprehensive model and efficient measure of PD trait dimensions. To accomplish these goals, we are in the midst of a 5-phase project to develop and validate the model and measure. The results of Phase 1 of the project-which was focused on developing the PD traits to be assessed and the initial item pool-resulted in a candidate list of 59 PD traits and an initial item pool of 2,589 items. Data collection and structural analyses in community and patient samples will inform the ultimate structure of the measure, and computerized adaptive testing will permit efficient measurement of the resultant traits. The resultant Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder (CAT-PD) will be well positioned as a measure of the proposed DSM-5 PD traits. Implications for both applied and basic personality research are discussed.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1988

Below are excerpts from their paper: Briefly, Positive Affect (PA) reflects the extent to which a... more Below are excerpts from their paper: Briefly, Positive Affect (PA) reflects the extent to which a person feels enthusiastic, active, and alert. High PA is a state of high energy, full concentration, and pleasurable engagement, whereas low PA is characterized by sadness and lethargy. In contrast, Negative Affect (NA) is a general dimension of subjective distress and unpleasurable engagement that subsumes a variety of aversive mood states, including anger, contempt, disgust, guilt, fear, and nervousness, with low NA being a state of calmness and serenity.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1999

and A. Tellegen (19X5') proposed a "consensual" structure of affect based on J. A. Russell's (198... more and A. Tellegen (19X5') proposed a "consensual" structure of affect based on J. A. Russell's (1980) circumplcx. The authors" review of the literature indicates that this 2-factor model captures robust structural properties of self-rated mood. Nevertheless, the evidence also indicates that the circumplcx does not fit the data closely and needs to be refined. Most notably, the model's dimensions are not entirely independent: moreover, with the exception of Pleasantness-Unpleasantness, they are not completely bipolar. More generally, the data suggest a model that falls somewhere between classic simple structure and a true circumplex. The authors then examine two of the dimensions imbedded in this structure, which they label Negative Activation (NA) and Positive Activation (PA). The authors argue that PA and NA represent the subjective components of broader biobchavioral systems of approach and withdrawal, respectively. The authors conclude by demonstrating how this framework helps to clarify various affect-related phenomena, including circadian rhythms, sleep, and the mood disorders.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1989

Attempted to replicate and extend the results of Passini and Norman (1966), who found surprising ... more Attempted to replicate and extend the results of Passini and Norman (1966), who found surprising evidence ofconver~nt validity (i.e., significant correlations with the targets' self-ratings) in strangers' judgments of 5 broad personality factors. In the current study, 250 previously unacquainted Ss were run in small, same-sex groups of various sizes. Ss rated both themselves and their fellow group members on the same set of 20 bipolar trait scales used by Passini and Norman. Consistent with previous research, significant self-peer agreement correlations were obtained for Extraversion and Conscientiousness. Ratings of Agreeableness also sho~xt significant convergent validity when a sufficient number of peers rated the target. More generally, self-peer agreement correlations tended to rise as the number of peer raters increased. Possible explanations for the validity of strangers' trait ratings are discussed. Recently, extensive interest has focused on a five-factor structure of personality that provides a reasonably comprehensive scheme for the global classification of personality traits (e.g.,

Journal of Personality, 2008

Big Five and affective traits were measured at three assessments when participants were on averag... more Big Five and affective traits were measured at three assessments when participants were on average 18, 21, and 24 years old. Rank-order stability analyses revealed that stability correlations tended to be higher across the second compared to the first retest interval; however, affective traits consistently were less stable than the Big Five. Median stability coefficients for the Big Five increased from .62 (Time 1 vs. Time 2) to .70 (Time 2 to Time 3); parallel increases also were observed for measures of negative affectivity (median rs=.49 and .55, respectively) and positive affectivity (median rs=.48 and .57, respectively). Growth curve analyses revealed significant change on each of the Big Five and affective traits, although many of the scales also showed significant variability in individual trajectories. Thus, rank-order stability is increasing for a range of personality traits, although there also is significant variability in change trajectories during young adulthood. The question of personality stability is of central importance to laypersons, trait psychologists, and behavioral scientists. For several years, much of the research in this area simply sought to establish whether or not traits are stable. In recent years, however, researchers have recognized that the question of stability is intricately tied to how stability is measured (e.g., Caspi & Roberts, 1999). Furthermore, investigators have sought to ask more sophisticated questions about patterns of personality stability over time (Fraley & Roberts, 2005) or across measures (Vaidya, Gray, Haig, & Watson, 2002). In the present study, we report the results of the third assessment of our ongoing Iowa Longitudinal Personality Project (ILPP; see Vaidya et al., 2002). Almost 400 participants completed a Big Five and trait-affect measure at two points in time and nearly 300 participants completed these measures at three points corresponding to when participants were 18, 21, and 24 years old, on average. Although other studies have been published using Big Five or Big Three measures of personality in this age group, this is the first study that measures both Big Five and affective traits across two approximately equal intervals over the course of young adulthood. As in our previous study, we examine differential stability-that is, differences in rank-order stability-of Big Five and affective traits across both time periods. Furthermore, capitalizing on the three-wave design, we use growth curve modeling to characterize overall sample trajectories as well individual differences in these trajectories over time.