Self-Referential Statements Shape Emotional Responses: Theory-Driven Development and Validation of a Database

Self-referential statements—such as “I am worthy”—are central to emotional experience and therapeutic change, yet their direct emotional impact remains underexplored. This study developed and validated a theory-driven linguistic stimulus database of 117 positive and 117 negative self-referential statements grounded in schema therapy. In an online study with 291 participants, each statement was rated for valence, arousal, discrete emotions (e.g., joy, sadness), personal relevance, and familiarity. Valence and arousal ratings showed a strong linear relationship (r = .923, p < .001). Stepwise-regression analyses revealed that relevance and familiarity appraisals significantly predicted emotional responses to positive statements, explaining 39% of the variance (p < .001). For negative statements, these appraisals were predictive only for specific emotions, such as shame and loneliness. Discrete emotion ratings revealed systematic cognition–emotion links for 32 positive and 21 negative statements. This validated stimulus set fills a methodological gap in emotion research and provides a novel resource for investigating self-related emotional processing. It also offers a foundation for developing interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive self-beliefs in clinical settings.