What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Hostility and Anxiety (n=200). Intervention: High Hostility vs. Low Hostility. Primary outcome: Trait anxiety (A-trait) score (p=<0.01).

What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to understand how hostility influences trait and state anxiety in individuals.

March 26, 2026Open Access

A Study of Trait-State Anxiety in High & Low Hostile Subjects

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

High hostile male university students exhibited significantly higher trait anxiety (mean 48.40 vs 39.96) and state anxiety (mean 47.40 vs 38.02) compared to low hostile students (p<0.01).

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to understand how hostility influences trait and state anxiety in individuals.

Key Result

High hostile male university students exhibited significantly higher trait anxiety (mean 48.40 vs 39.96) and state anxiety (mean 47.40 vs 38.02) compared to low hostile students (p<0.01).

Key Points

The study aims to understand how hostility influences trait and state anxiety in individuals.
Selected 200 university students based on hostility scores using the Saxena Hostility Scale.
Administered the state-trait anxiety scales developed by Spielberger, Sharma, and Singh.
Compared anxiety levels in high hostile and low hostile groups.
Significant differences in both trait and state anxiety were found between high and low hostility groups.
High hostility groups exhibited elevated levels of both types of anxiety.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=200)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Does high hostility influence trait and state anxiety in university students?

Population

University students selected on the basis of scores on the Saxena Hostility Scale

Intervention

High hostility

Comparator

Low hostility

Outcome

Trait and state anxietypatient reported

The study suggests a positive relationship between high hostility and high anxiety (both trait and state) among university students.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 48.4% vs 39.96%

p-value: p=<0.01

Limitations

Subjects with middle range of hostility were excluded from the study

Abstract

The present study aims at understanding the influence of one of the personality trait.~i.e. hostility on self-evaluation made in terms of two types of anxietytrait and state anxiety.One hundred high hostile (RH) and one hundred low hostile (LH) University students were selected on the basis of the scores on Saxena Hostility Scale.Spielberger, Sharma, and Singh's (1972) state-trait anxiety scales were administered on the two extreme groups.Significant difference in trait and state anxiety was obtained for the high and low groups.Results are discussed in terms of trait-trait and trait-state interaction and a high hostility high anxiety (both trait and state) relationship is suggested by the study.

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Discussion

Cite this study

SAXENA et al. (Tue,) conducted a cross-sectional in Hostility and Anxiety (n=200). High Hostility vs. Low Hostility was evaluated on Trait anxiety (A-trait) score (p=<0.01). High hostile male university students exhibited significantly higher trait anxiety (mean 48.40 vs 39.96) and state anxiety (mean 47.40 vs 38.02) compared to low hostile students (p<0.01).

synapsesocial.com/papers/69c4cc69fdc3bde44891799e — DOI: https://doi.org/10.2117/psysoc.1980.138

Also consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

State anxiety and trait anxiety associated with social anxiety in university students· 2024 · 14 citations
Effects of hostility on ambulatory blood pressure and mood during daily living in healthy adults.· 1999 · 73 citations
Descriptive Study on State and Trait Anxiety Levels in University Students and Their Potential Influencing Factors· 2025 · 2 citations
A test of Spielberger’s state-trait theory of anger with adolescents: Five hypotheses.· 2013 · 61 citations
The relationship between trait hostility and cardiovascular reactivity: A quantitative review and analysis· 1993 · 272 citations

Authors

A. K. SAXENA

G. D. RASTOGI

Journals

PSYCHOLOGIA

Actions

Institutions

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University

References and Citations

Connected Papers

Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

A Study of Trait-State Anxiety in High & Low Hostile Subjects

Key Result

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Cite this study

Also consider

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Also consider