The rejection of one’s own weaknesses and internalizing psychopathology: Exploring self-insecurity’s links with unpleasant repetitive thinking and depression

Self-(in)security is an aspect of self-evaluation defined as the acceptance (or rejection) of one’s own weaknesses. My dissertation consists of three studies investigating self-insecurity as a potential transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, especially internalizing psychopathology. Study 1 explored the link between self-insecurity and unpleasant repetitive thinking, an transdiagnostic process that appears to cause and perpetuate internalizing psychopathology. Specifically, I examined the link between-individuals (in a sample of 158 undergraduates) and within-individual (using daily diaries). Self-insecurity is significantly associated with repetitive thinking at both levels—above and beyond self-esteem and neuroticism/negative affect. Study 2 further investigated self-insecurity’s link with repetitive thinking by using longitudinal methods, and began to investigate self-insecurity as a potential risk factor for depression. A sample of 195 undergraduates, over-selected for depression history and depressive symptom severity, completed two laboratory sessions separated by approximately one month. Self-insecurity prospectively predicts increases in repetitive thinking. Additionally, self-insecurity is associated with lifetime MDD—above and beyond concurrent depression, and neuroticism or self-esteem. Moreover, self-insecurity prospectively predicts increases in MDD symptom severity, NA, and anhedonic depression. In contrast, depression does not prospectively predict changes in self-insecurity. In a sample of 280 undergraduates, Study 3 replicated Study 1’s finding that self-insecurity is associated with repetitive thinking at both the between-individuals level and the within-individual level. Moreover, Study 3 began to investigate proposed mediators of self-insecurity’s association with repetitive thinking, and found that the perceived self-evaluation relevance of threats, the perceived cost of threats, and discomfort with ambiguity each mediates self-insecurity’s link with repetitive thinking at both the between-individuals and the within-individual levels. Additionally, Study 3 replicated Study 2’s finding that self-insecurity is associated with anhedonic depression. Study 3 also began to investigate self-insecurity’s associations with subjective experience of stress and several alcohol variables. Although self-insecurity is not associated with whether participants drank or how much they drank (in standard drinks), self-insecurity is associated with the severity of alcohol problems—above and beyond extroversion. We recommend further investigation of self-insecurity as a possible transdiagnostic risk factor.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2019

Author dc:creator

• Huang, Alice B.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Berenbaum, Howard
• Cohen, Dov
• Fairbairn, Catharine
• Fraley, R. Chris
• Hankin, Benjamin

• self-insecurity
• self-security
• self-evaluation
• self-esteem
• acceptance
• depression
• anxiety
• rumination
• worry
• unpleasant repetitive thinking
• perseverative negative thinking
• persistent negative thinking
• alcohol problems
• transdiagnostic risk factor
• daily diary
• clinical interview
• longitudinal
• prospective
• mediation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2019 Alice Huang

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/105936

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/105936