Negative affectivity as a moderator of the association between smoking status and anxiety sensitivity, anxiety symptoms, and perceived health among young adults.

The present investigation evaluated the moderational role of negative affectivity in the relation between smoking status and panic-relevant symptoms in a young adult sample (n = 222; 123 females; mean age = 22.45 years, SD = 8.08). Consistent with the prediction, negative affectivity moderated the association of smoking status with anxious arousal symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and perceived health. Specifically, greater negative affectivity was associated with higher levels of anxious arousal and anxiety sensitivity and lower levels of perceived health among smokers compared to nonsmokers. The effects were evident after controlling for the variance accounted for by alcohol use problems and gender. Findings are discussed with regard to the role of negative affectivity in the relation between smoking and panic-related processes.