Joiner, Jr.,T. E., Schmidt, N. B., Lerew, D. R., Cook, J. H., Gencoz, T., & Gencoz, F. (in press). The differential roles of depressive and anxious symptoms and of gender in defensiveness. Journal of Personality Assessment.

Abstract

Among a sample of Air Force cadets facing the prospect of basic training (N = 1,190; 1,005 men; 185 women), we examined the influence of a defensive test-taking style on measures of depressive and anxious symptoms. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), as well as the MMPI Lie scale. Results supported hypotheses that defensiveness would affect a self-report measure of depression but not a self-report measure of anxiety, and would do so more among men than women. Applied implications of the results are discussed.