To date, little research has endeavoured to discriminate between cognitive and somatic dimensions of trait anxiety and, consequently, it remains uncertain whether these anxiety dimensions can be reliably distinguished at the trait level. The four studies presented here support the validity of the distinction between cognitive and somatic anxiety at both state and trait levels. The research involved the development and validation of a self-report questionnaire, the State-Trait Inventory for cognitive and somatic anxiety (STICSA). The nature of the anxiety dimensions assessed by this new measure was then investigated. The results indicate that the state scales of this new measure assess the degree of cognitive and somatic anxiety experienced at a particular point in time. The trait scales of the STICSA predict the situations in which different individuals will display elevations in cognitive and somatic state anxiety. Trait cognitive and somatic anxiety are indeed distinct constructs that can be reliably and validly assessed. Theoretical and applied implications of this finding are discussed.

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A safety behaviour is an overt or covert strategy employed in order to prevent a feared outcome from occurring. These behaviours can, however, prevent the disconfirmation of unhelpful beliefs, and may make the feared outcome more likely to occur (Salkovskis, 1991). The current study extends Harvey's (2002a) investigation of safety behaviours in insomnia by developing a questionnaire measure designed to assess the use of safety behaviours that are employed to promote sleep and cope with tiredness. A development sample of 132 individuals with and without insomnia was employed to develop the 32-item Sleep-Related Behaviours Questionnaire (SRBQ). The SRBQ showed good internal consistency and was able to discriminate normal sleepers from those with insomnia. Interestingly, most safety behaviours were associated with impairment in both sleep and daytime functioning. This highlights that day- and night-time processes may be interlinked in insomnia, and stresses the importance of research and treatment focusing on both the day and night. Future research is needed to further investigate the psychometric properties of the SRBQ, and to explore the relationships between safety behaviours and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep.