Psychometric properties and specificity to anxiety of the looming maladaptive style questionnaire (LMSQ-R): evidence from general and clinical Romanian samples

Abstract The looming vulnerability model of anxiety suggests that anxiety arises from a cognitive bias known as the looming cognitive style. This research explored the relationship between this bias, measured by the Looming Maladaptive Style Questionnaire (LMSQ-R), and anxiety across both general ( n = 315) and clinical ( n = 100) samples. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a reliable two-factor higher-order structure for the LMSQ-R. Structural equation modeling showed that while the LMSQ-R significantly predicted anxiety symptoms, this relationship became non-significant when neuroticism was controlled. In the clinical sample, the LMSQ-R initially predicted anxiety, but its effect diminished after accounting for anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. These findings suggest that the LMSQ-R is a psychometrically sound and reliable measure of looming cognitive style, and its predictive power for anxiety should be considered alongside other psychological traits.