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York University

Narrative - Emotion processing in Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Constructing adaptive narratives in therapy involves processing and symbolizing (i.e., storying) emotional experience. The Narrative-Emotion Process Coding System (NEPCS) is a tool for coding in-session client behaviors that indicate 10 underlying narrative-emotion processes: Same Old Story, Empty Story, Unstoried Emotion, Superficial Story, Reflexive Story, Inchoate Story, Experiential Story, Competing Plotlines, Unexpected Outcome, and Discovery Story. The NEPCS was applied to videotaped therapy sessions of three recovered and three unchanged clients who underwent cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Multilevel modeling analyses demonstrated a significant effect of outcome for Reflexive Story, Competing Plotlines, and Unexpected Outcome, and a significant outcome x stage effect for Discovery Story. Findings are discussed in the context of ambivalence about worry and emotion avoidance as key features of GAD. Limitations and future research directions, including avenues for further elucidation of mechanisms of MI for GAD, are also discussed.

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Macaulay, Christianne Braid
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Angus, Lynne

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10315/28276
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:yorkspace.library.yorku.ca:10315/28276

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
York University
Base URL
yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Macaulay, Christianne Braid. Narrative - Emotion processing in Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10315/28276