Negative problem orientation (Part II): construct validity and specificity to worry

Abstract

Negative problem orientation, a dysfunctional set of attitudes related to problem-solving ability, has been implicated as a process variable in several psychological disorders, notably depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The goal of the present study was two-fold: (1) to further examine the construct validity of a new measure of negative problem orientation, the negative problem orientation questionnaire (NPOQ), through its relationship to conceptually similar variables, and (2) to investigate the specificity of negative problem orientation to worry, the cardinal feature of GAD, compared to depression. The sample consisted of 148 university students who completed six questionnaires, the NPOQ and measures of worry, depression, pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism. Multiple hierarchical regressions revealed that when entered in the last step following demographic information and personality variables (pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism), the NPOQ accounted for 5.6% of the variance in worry scores compared to 1.6% of the variance in depression scores. It was concluded that the NPOQ shows evidence of construct validity, and that the process variable of negative problem orientation appears to have greater specificity to worry than depression. Implications for the understanding of worry and GAD are discussed.

Introduction

Research into the role of problem solving on psychological distress suggests that negative problem orientation, one of 5 problem-solving steps identified by D’Zurilla and Goldfried (1971), is either the sole or primarily problem-solving variable involved. Negative problem orientation refers to a dysfunctional cognitive set regarding social problems, and was originally described as a cognitive-emotional schema (see D’Zurilla & Nezu, 1999). A pure cognitive measure of negative problem orientation was recently constructed however, in order to disentangle negative cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses from general negative beliefs surrounding social problem-solving (see Robichaud & Dugas, 2004). In our current definition, negative problem orientation therefore consists of beliefs reflecting perceived threat of problems to well-being, doubt concerning problem-solving ability, and the tendency to be pessimistic about the outcome.

In relation to the affective and anxiety disorders, negative problem orientation has consistently been linked to symptoms of depression (D’Zurilla, Chang, Nottingham, & Faccini, 1998), as well as to excessive worry in both clinical (Dugas, Gagnon, Ladouceur, & Freeston, 1998) and non-clinical populations (Dugas, Letarte, Rhéaume, Freeston, & Ladouceur, 1995). Problem-solving training as a therapeutic strategy has in fact been adopted as a treatment component for GAD (Dugas, 2002), and as a primary treatment goal for clinical depression (Nezu, Nezu, & Perri, 1989), both with a particular emphasis placed on targeting negative problem orientation. Moreover, in a dismantling investigation, treatment outcome for depression was found to be significantly greater when negative problem orientation was specifically targeted during problem-solving therapy (Nezu & Perri, 1989).

Despite the strength of the evidence however, the distinctiveness of negative problem orientation as a construct may potentially be called into question, as the defining components appear to share some conceptual similarity with the more global variables of pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism. Pessimism refers to the tendency to hold negative expectations about the future irrespective of one’s personal ability, a concept that shares a conceptual link with the tendency to be pessimistic regarding the outcome of problem solving. Self-mastery shares common ground with negative problem orientation through its conceptual similarity with the tendency to doubt one’s problem-solving ability, as it refers to individual expectations about one’s ability to attain a desired outcome through personal influence. Pessimism and self-mastery therefore both reflect broad general outcome expectancies, although neither are specifically linked to problem-solving beliefs. It is nevertheless unclear whether the report of negative problem orientation is a product of generalized negative outcome expectancies, or the result of specific negative attitudes concerning social problem-solving.

A similar argument can be made concerning the conceptual link between negative problem orientation and the more diffuse construct of neuroticism. Generally described as a stable personality trait that includes a broad range of negative moods, cognitions, and self-appraisals, neuroticism has been associated with feelings of self-doubt and pessimism (see Clark, Watson, & Mineka, 1994). Despite the logical possibility that all three components of negative problem orientation might be subsumed under the broad definition of neuroticism, no specific reference is made to problem-solving. In addition, neuroticism includes several other factors unrelated to negative problem orientation, such that whenever variables show a relationship to neuroticism, it might be difficult to extricate which aspects of neuroticism underlie a given effect.

The constructs of pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism present further difficulty for the distinctiveness of negative problem orientation in terms of their relationship to distress. Notably, pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism have been linked to symptoms of depression (Clark et al., 1994; Enns & Cox, 1997; Marshall & Lang, 1990), and theories have been advanced by Clark et al. (1994) and MacLeod (1994) contending that neuroticism and pessimism, respectively, are involved in GAD and worry report. No studies linking self-mastery to worry were found. It appears that not only do these personality variables share conceptual similarity with negative problem orientation, but they are also related to the report of distress, albeit particularly strongly to symptoms of depression. As such, it is unclear whether the relationship between negative problem orientation and psychological distress is distinct, or a by-product of the relationship between distress and the personality measures of pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism. Moreover, due to the greater evidence linking the personality measures to depression, as compared to the research on worry, it is plausible that the personality measures overlap with negative problem orientation to a greater extent for depression than for worry. That is, pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism may explain the relationship of negative problem orientation to depression, but not the relationship between negative problem orientation and worry.

The goal of the present study was therefore to further investigate the construct validity of a new measure of negative problem orientation by determining whether it was distinct from conceptually similar variables, and to examine whether the process variable of negative problem orientation showed greater specificity to worry over depression, after controlling for pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism. In accordance with prior research, several hypotheses were formulated for the present study: (1) negative problem orientation was expected to be significantly associated with pessimism, self-mastery, and neuroticism, although not so highly as to be redundant; (2) it was postulated that negative problem orientation would be significantly related to both worry and depression; (3) it was hypothesized that although negative problem orientation would continue to predict both worry and depression scores after accounting for the personality variables, it would be a better unique predictor of worry than depression.