Factor analysis of five self-statement categories in a study of speech anxiety produced two factors, performance-based thinking and off-task thinking. The highly specific thought categories utilized in the present study, and most others, are not independent. Effective on-task, noneffective on-task, positive self-evaluation, and negative self-evaluation are all significantly inter-correlated and load together on Factor I, while off-task thinking loaded by itself on Factor II. Of the categories commonly treated as independent, only off-task thinking actually formed a separate dimension. Researchers need to reconsider the utility of separately categorizing effective on-task thoughts, noneffective on-task thoughts, positive self-evaluation, and negative self-evaluation. They do not represent independent categories.
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