Neurobehavioral mechanisms of protection against distress: A behavioral and volumetric approach regarding the role of self-esteem and coping self-efficacy in anxiety

Anxiety is the most prevalent mental disorders in the U.S. and given the dramatic and extended nature of the Covid-19 Pandemic, identification of mechanisms that alleviate anxiety outcomes is extremely relevant. Cognitive reappraisal has been demonstrated as an effective emotion regulation strategy. However, the new challenges and uncertainties brought by the pandemic highlight the need to explore beyond specific strategies alone and evaluate other possible factors of resilience related to both coping and anxiety outcomes. Clarifying the associated neural mechanisms linked to individual differences in these behavioral aspects and their role in anxiety is also crucial. The present study poses questions about connections among emotion regulation strategies, self-belief, and anxiety, along with volumetric variations in relevant brain regions. Specifically, we explore the question of whether and how brain volumes of emotion-related areas are linked to emotion regulation use and distress outcomes. We also investigate the role of self-beliefs in emotion regulation and outcomes. Self-beliefs are general patterns of thought that reflect one’s qualities and abilities and include both general (self-esteem) and specific factors (coping self-efficacy). We anticipate self-belief to be an important factor in the successful use of emotion regulation. The present study employed a brain-personality-symptom approach to examine associations among measures of brain volume and personality traits, linked to the presence of anxiety, in healthy college-age participants. For Study 1, we collected measures of anxiety, as well as emotion regulation (reappraisal and suppression) and self-esteem, which were linked to measures of brain volume in the amygdala (AMY) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). These brain regions were targeted because of their involvement in basic emotion processing and emotion regulation, respectively, and because of previous links to anxiety. Study 1 identified a mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between AMY volume and anxiety, and between OFC volume and anxiety. There was also mediation by self-esteem on the relationship between coping and anxiety. For Study 2, we collected measures of anxiety, as well as emotion regulation (reappraisal and suppression), and coping self-efficacy, from healthy young adults during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Results replicated the effect that coping self-efficacy mediates the relationship between reappraisal and anxiety. Overall, these findings inform future interventions targeting coping mechanisms and self-beliefs as protective mechanisms against anxiety and other affective disturbances.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• West, Haley V

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dolcos, Florin
• Dolcos, Sanda
• Barbey, Aron

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Anxiety
• Coping
• Emotion Regulation
• Brain Volume
• Sefl-esteem

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Haley West

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117594

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F117594