Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-11, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
Positive & Negative Affectivity, Affection
Control and Attitude toward Mental Health
among Patients of Depression
Sehrish Arif
Pak Vision College Lahore Pakistan
Abstract: Present study examined Positive &
Negative Affectivity, Affection Control and Attitude
toward Mental Health among Patients of
Depression. Positive & Negative Affect schedule
(PNAS) by (Watson, D., & Clark, L. A. 188),
Affection Control Scale (Williams, Chambless &
Ahrens, 1997) and Attitude toward Mental Health
problem (Gilbert, 2007) were used for data
collection. The sample of the present study was 100
patients of the depression. Purposive sampling
technique was used to draw the sample. Descriptive
statistics and correlation used to analysis the data.
Results indicate that Positive Affectivity has positive
relationship with Positive Affection Control and
Attitude toward Mental Health and Negative
Affectivity has positive relationship with Negative
Affection Control and Attitude toward Mental
Health.
Key words: Positive Affectivity, Negative Affectivity,
Affection Control, Attitude toward mental health,
Depression.
INTRODUCTION
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to
activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior,
feelings, and sense of well-being (Salmans & Sandra
1995).
Depression is common mental disorder with low
mood, loss of concentration or pleasure, reduced
energy, feelings of guilt, upset sleep or craving, and
poor attention (American Psychiatric Association,
2000).
Depression is result of damaged cognitive
procedures. Emotional and physical indications are
significance of rational patterns (Beck 1996).
Positive and Negative Affectivity
Two general mood factors Positive Affect and
Negative Affect are central elements in self-reported
mood (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1984).
Negative affects are comprehensive and determined
predisposition to the experience negative emotional
state that has special effects on thought, self and
world views (Watson & Clark, 1984).
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Positive Affects are aspect impressive levels of
gratifying commitment with situation. PA is
relationships reproducing attentiveness, liveliness,
psychological alertness, interest, purpose and joy
(Watson & Tellegen, 1985).
Affection Control
Affection Control Theory (Heise 1979, 2007) that
societies regulate public relationships through
maintains traditionally shared emotional states about
condition. This theory established on calculated
models that depends on impression construction.
Emotion regulation observes how individuals
influence, regulate, experience and expressed their
emotions (Gross, 1998).
According to William, 1997 delayed the idea of the
fear to more include a common distress of the losing
mechanism concluded strong affects.
Attitude toward Mental Health Problems
Attitudes and views about the mental health
problems formed with personal knowledge, knowing
and interrelating with present mental health problem,
traditional labels about mental health problems, mass
media stories, and awareness of institutional
performs and previous limitations (Corrigan, 2004;
Wahl, 2003).
These are procedures of the peripheral
embarrassment wherever person come to be attentive
on the in what way others observing them (Gilbert et
al, 2002).
The researches were concerned in the publics' views
and feelings towards Mental illness. Some
individuals experience after Mental Health Problems
like Anxiety, Depression and fear problems in day to
day life. These make complicated to manage with it
in daily life. Unhappy individuals cannot enjoy life,
feel fatigued, want loneliness and take away from
family members ( Gilbert, 2007).
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-11, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
Relationship between Positive & Negative
Affectivity, Affection Control and
Attitude toward Mental Health
The aim of present study was to investigate
Positive & Negative Affectivity, Affection Control
and Attitude toward Mental Health among Patients
of Depression. Empirical and theoretical facts have
been used to draw attention to the association among
these psychological constructs. These psychological
construct give insight into the nature of relationship
as well. The most recent studies have been stated that
recognized the relationship between Positive &
Negative Affectivity, Affection Control and Attitude
toward Mental Health among Patients of Depression
and its development of pattern. The studies showed
relations related to these variables.
According to Levenson et al (1997) examined the
acute effects of inhibiting negative and positive
emotion: Hiding feelings. Total 180 female
undergraduates were assessed under 1 of the 2
conditions by using a set of four consistent emotional
films unhappy, unbiased, and humorous. Findings
showed numerous methods of the emotional self-
consciousness effect emotional working.
Jolly et al (1994) examined Integration of positive
and negative affectivity and cognitive content-
specificity: improved discrimination of anxious and
depressive symptoms. Total 159 mentally ill outdoor
patient adults, negative affectivity was considerably
connected with anxiety and depression symptoms.
Depressive thoughts verified victimized ability,
anxiety thoughts. A mixture of Negative Affection
and nervous thoughts expressively projected
nervousness, better than thoughts or emotion only.
Results care the addition of the emotional and mental
models for the judgment of the nervous from
depression and suggestions to measure progress.
Lisa Feldman Barrett & James Gross et al (2001)
examined emotion distinction and affection control
positively connected in the situation of the strong
negative affect, Affection control are commonly
highest. Contributors negative and positive affection
distinction were measured with 14 day diary
procedure. Contributors control of the negative and
positive affects was measured by laboratory
instruments. Negative affect distinction positively
associated to rate of the recurrence of negative
affection control, mostly higher levels of Affection
control.
Angermeyer & Matschinger (2003) examined the
stigma of mental illness: effects of labeling on public
attitudes towards people with mental disorder. Total
5025 adults of German nationality participate in
2001. Findings tagging mental health problem
influence on the public attitudes towards
schizophrenia, negative properties clearly balancing
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
positive properties. Approving the label of the
seriousness has the strong negative effect on people
respond emotionally with schizophrenia. Results
prove need for the distinction, distinction between
dissimilar mechanisms of labeling such as distinction
in the several mental disorders.
Carlos Nordt, Wulf Rossler and Christoph Lauber
(2006) examined Attitudes of the Mental Health
Professionals toward Schizophrenia and Major
Depression. This study was directed of attitudes of
the mental health professionals 1073 and followers
of community 1737 toward the mental health
problems and detailed response toward people with
and without mental health problems. Doctors of
psychiatry have negative labels than common people.
Burger & Jerry (1989) examined Negative reactions
to increases in perceived personal control. Increase in
the observed personal control preferred and result
will be positive responses, decrease in personal
control not preferred and result will be negative
responses.
Erika Forbes et al (2004) examined Positive &
Negative Affects in the Depression. Children and
adolescents with major depressive disorder 35, mean
age 12.5 years compared with psychiatrically healthy
children and adolescents 36, mean age 10.5 years.
Findings suggest participants experienced minor
positive affect and larger negative affect than
controls.
METHOD
Cross-sectional research design was used in the
present research. Independent variable was Positive
& Negative Affectivity and dependent variables of
the present study were Affection Control and
Attitude toward Mental Health.
Objectives
To investigate the relationship among
Positive & negative affectivity, Affection
Control and Attitude toward Mental Health
among Patients of Depression.
Hypothesis
There would be Positive relationship
between Positive Affection, Positive
Affection Control and Attitude toward
Mental Health among Patients of
depression.
There would be Positive relationship
between Negative Affection, Negative
Affection Control and Attitude toward
Mental Health among Patients of
depression.
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-11, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Sample Conceptual framework

In the current research purposive sampling technique
was used because the elements to be included in
sample were on the basis of Depressive clinical
patients. Sample consisted of the present study was
n=100 Depressive clinical patients from Aziz Bhathi
Shahed Hospital Gujrat, Gujrat Hospital, Umar
Arshad Hospital Gujrat Pakistan. Fountain House
Lahore, Pakistan.
Measures
1. Positive & Negative Affect Schedule
The PANAS by Watson, D., & Clark, L. A. (1988) is
contains on 20 numbers of the words which describe
two emotional state and sensations that are rate on a
5-point scale that ranges from 1-5.
2. Affection Control Scale
Human have Positive Affection then have Positive
Attitude toward Mental Health and have Positive
Affection Control then also have Positive Attitude
toward Mental Health. And Negative Affection has
Negative Attitude toward Mental Health and
Negative Affection Control has Negative Attitude
toward Mental Health among patients of depression.
Concept of this study is given in following figure 1
and figure 2.
Positive
Affection
Positive Attit-
ude toward
mental health

The Affection Control Scale by Williams,

Chambless, & Ahrens, (1997) is contains on 42-item Positive
measure fears of the sensations and tries to control Affection
affects experience. AC has Subscales such as Anger, control
Positive Affect, Negative Affect and Anxiety that are
7-point likert scale that ranges from 1-7.
Figure 2
3. Attitude toward Mental Health
Problems
The Attitude toward Mental Health Problems Negative
(ATMHP) by Gilbert et al., (2007) contains on the 35 Affection
questions those diverse features of the
embarrassment in the relationship towards mental
health problems and divided in the five sections.
Attitude toward Mental Health Problem is 4-point Negative Att-
likert scale that ranges from 0-3. itude toward
mental health
Rational of the Study
Present research was investigating the relationship
among the Positive & Negative Affectivity, Negative
Affection Control and Attitude toward Mental Health Affection
among Depressive Patients. The Prevalence of control
Depression is 1 million be in this world are died
yearly caused by suicide and 3000 suicides deaths
every single day. The frequency of the Depression
Patients in Pakistan is 44.4% according to estimate RESULTS
of Psychiatrist and Pakistan Association for Mental The current study was considered to study
Health President prof S Hroon Ahmed). The relationship among Positive & Negative Affectivity,
Researcher investigated how Positive & Negative Affection Control and Attitude toward Mental Health
Affectivity effect the Attitude toward Mental Health among Patients of Depression. The sample consisted
of Depressive Patient. Researcher analyzed the of 100 Patients of Depression Statistical package for
significant effects of Positive & Negative Affectivity social sciences (SPSS) 20 was used to evaluate facts
on Attitude toward Mental Health and how Affection and figures. Demographics information of the sample
Control play role among Depressive Patients. is given in the following table 1

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 300

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-11, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Table 1 Middle 87 87
High 8 8
Demographic f % History of physical illness
Gender Yes 19 19
Male 50 50 No 81 81
Female 50 50 History of Psychological illness
Age Yes 31 31
21-30 years 45 45 No 69 69
31-40years 27 27
41-50 years 28 28 Table 2
Duration of illness
1-6 months 53 53 Alpha reliability of the Scales (N=100)
7-12 months 47 47 Scales N
Family system Positive Affectivity 10 .59
Joint 65 65 Negative Affectivity 10 .59
Nuclear 35 35 Affection Control 42 .78
Residual status Anger 08 .52
Rural 25 25 Positive Affect 13 .66
Urban 75 75 Depressed Mood 08 .51
Marital status Anxiety 13 .62
Unmarried 28 28 Attitude toward Mental Health 35 .77
Married 52 52
Other 20 20 Table 2 represents the alpha reliability coefficient of
Financial problem Questionnaire on Positive & Negative affectivity
Yes 41 41 schedule, Affection Control and attitude toward
No 59 59 mental health. The high reliability values are the sign
Socio economic status that the scale is reliable for present study.
Low 5 5
Table 3
Summary of inter-Correlations, Means and Standard Deviation for the Positive & Negative Affectivity,
Affection control and Attitude toward mental health, Subscales of Affection Control among patients of
depression (N=100).

Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 M SD
Positive affection - -.12** -.29** -.04 .39** -.15** -.16** .69** 17.46 3.34
Negative affection - .14 .07 .17** .07** .14 .19** 42.14 2.80
Affection control - .67** .80** .78** .85** .54** 210.34 17.28
Anger - .27** .61** .58** .19 43.56 3.11
Positive Affect - .41** .47** .50** 60.41 8.29
Depressed Mood - .64** .33 42.67 4.11
Anxiety - .52** 63.71 6.33
Attitude toward - 108.83 9.75
mental health
Table 3above shows positive relationship reliability. Correlation analysis indicated that there is
among Positive affectivity, positive affection control a significant positive relationship among Positive
and attitude toward mental health among patients of affectivity, positive affection control and attitude
depression and positive relationship among Negative toward mental health among patients of depression
affectivity, negative affection control and attitude and positive relationship among Negative affectivity,
toward mental health among patients of depression. negative affection control and attitude toward mental
health among patients of depression. It indicates that
DISCUSSION if a patient of depression has Positive affectivity he
also has positive affection control and positive
The study was conducted on a sample of 100 patients attitude toward mental health and if a patient of
of depression. The analysis of psychometric depression has negative affectivity he also has
properties of the instruments used in the study negative affection control and negative attitude
indicated that these scales entail high level of

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-3, Issue-11, 2017
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

toward mental health because these three variables
are positively correlated.
Acknowledgements
First and foremost I would like give thanks Allah
of all creations who gives me enough courage to
complete this task.
I would like to show my gratitude to my family who
supported me in each and every aspect of my career
and also provided me the emotional support.
Next, I am especially obliged to my brother who not
only guides me but helped me a lot in data collection
as well as financial support.
Finally, I am also very much grateful to the Hospital
staff. They all are very much cooperative and
helpful.
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