Beyond Self-Report: Performance Measures of Emotional Competencies Predict Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety, Physical Symptoms, Self-Rated Health, and Immunoregulatory Molecules

Abstract Background Most work testing links between emotional competencies and health has focused on self-reported and/or trait assessments. However, more objective assessments of skills and knowledge may also predict health relevant outcomes. Purpose The current study investigated whether performance-based tests of emotional knowledge and expressive skill predicted symptoms of depression and anxiety, self-reported physical symptoms, perceived health, and a range of immunoregulatory molecules. Methods Eighty females aged 18–35 completed self-report assessments before attending a testing session in which they provided blood samples and completed performance-based assessments of expressive skill and emotional knowledge. Results Greater expressive skill predicted better self-reported outcomes, but links to immunoregulatory molecules were mixed. Expressive skill for contempt and anger predicted higher, whereas skill for happiness predicted lower, concentrations of immunoregulatory molecules. Conclusions These data highlight the need to extend research beyond self-reported emotional competencies and suggest that performance-based skill and knowledge metrics may be associated with health relevant outcomes.