Can distress tolerance predict chronic worry? Investigating the relationships among worry, distress tolerance, cognitive avoidance, psychological flexibility, difficulties in emotion regulation, and anxiety sensitivity

<p>According to the <em>avoidance theory of worry</em> proposed by Borkovec, Alcaine, and Behar (2004), chronic worry functions as an avoidance mechanism, enabling an individual to diminish the physiological experience of anxiety by impeding emotional processing of the fear stimulus. Previous research has revealed significant correlations between chronic worry and difficulties in emotion regulation (Salters-Pedneault et al., 2006) as well as anxiety sensitivity (Floyd, Garfield, & LaSota, 2005). Distress tolerance which is significantly related to anxiety sensitivity (Bernstein, Zvolensky, Vujanovic, & Moos, 2009) is strongly associated with many maladaptive avoidance behaviors (Anestis et al., 2007; Linehan, 1993; Timpano et al., 2009; Vujanovic et al., 2011). The present study examined the relationships among these variables, as investigators hypothesized that distress tolerance would be a significant predictor of worry. Undergraduate and graduate Eastern Michigan University students (<em>n</em> = 470) completed several measures via an on-line survey system. Analyses of the data support correlational relationships between anxiety sensitivity, difficulties in emotion regulation, avoidance constructs and worry presented in previous research. Distress tolerance was also found to significantly negatively correlate with worry. Additionally, analyses revealed distress tolerance, psychological flexibility, and cognitive avoidance to be significant predictors of worry. These novel findings add to the literature on the development and maintenance of chronic worry. The discovery of this significant relationship sheds light on avenues for clinical improvement in treating worry. Finally, the present study provides theoretical support for acceptance-based behavioral therapies (ABBTs), which have been yielding promising results for chronic worriers.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Sabourin, Bethany Anne

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ellen Koch, Ph.D., Chair
• Flora Hoodin, Ph.D.
• Tamara Loverich, Ph.D.

• anxiety
• fear
• worry
• Eastern Michigan University students
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/550

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1923