ABSTRACT
SUMMARY. Stress researchers frequently use self-report measures to assess stress, health, psychological adjustment, and subjective dissatisfaction. We present evidence demonstrating that all of these variables are highly intercorrelated and reflect a common underlying factor of Negative Affectivity (NA). NA is a stable and pervasive personality dimension —high NA individuals report more stress, distress and physical complaints, even in the absence of any objective stressor or health problem. Thus, NA may operate as a substantial nuisance factor in many areas of research. To circumvent its influence, investigators can use non-subjective measures of stress and health. Finally, we present a two-factor model of stress and satisfaction that includes, in addition to NA, the independent factor of Positive Affectivity (PA), a trait reflecting positive feelings about oneself and one's life.
