anxiety

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) researchers and scholars carry assumptions about the characteristics of these therapies, and the extent to which they differ from one another. This article examines proposed differences between CBT and ACT for anxiety disorders, including aspects of treatment components, processes, and outcomes. The general conclusion is that the treatments are more similar than distinct. Potential treatment mediators and issues related to the identification of mediators are considered in depth, and directions for future research are explored

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) researchers and scholars carry assumptions about the characteristics of these therapies, and the extent to which they differ from one another. This article examines proposed differences between CBT and ACT for anxiety disorders, including aspects of treatment components, processes, and outcomes. The general conclusion is that the treatments are more similar than distinct. Potential treatment mediators and issues related to the identification of mediators are considered in depth, and directions for future research are explored

The present study evaluated 2 interrelated hypotheses concerning the relation between specific anxiety sensitivity dimensions and how one responds to bodily sensations in a population with no known history of psychopathology (N D 214). Specifically, the Physical Concerns subscale of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; S. Reiss, R. A. Peterson, M. Gursky,&R. J. McNally, 1986) was found to be uniquely and statistically predictive of bodily vigilance, whereas the Mental Incapacitation ASI subscale was predictive of emotional avoidance. These effects were above and beyond the variance accounted for by demographic variables, treatment history for common interoceptive medical conditions, subclinical panic attack history, and trait anxiety.We discuss these findings in relation to differential predictive validity conceptualizations of anxiety sensitivity, with implications for understanding models of health functioning and panic disorder.

The present study evaluated 2 interrelated hypotheses concerning the relation between specific anxiety sensitivity dimensions and how one responds to bodily sensations in a population with no known history of psychopathology (N D 214). Specifically, the Physical Concerns subscale of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; S. Reiss, R. A. Peterson, M. Gursky,&R. J. McNally, 1986) was found to be uniquely and statistically predictive of bodily vigilance, whereas the Mental Incapacitation ASI subscale was predictive of emotional avoidance. These effects were above and beyond the variance accounted for by demographic variables, treatment history for common interoceptive medical conditions, subclinical panic attack history, and trait anxiety.We discuss these findings in relation to differential predictive validity conceptualizations of anxiety sensitivity, with implications for understanding models of health functioning and panic disorder.

This investigation evaluated the role of mindfulness-based attention in concurrently predicting anxiety and depressive symptomatology and perceived health functioning in a community sample of 170 young adults (95 females; mean age (Mage)522.2 years, SD57.6). Partially consistent with prediction, results indicated that, relative to negative and positive affectivity and emotional expression and processing associated with approach-oriented coping, mindfulness-based attention incrementally predicted anhedonic depressive, but not anxious arousal, symptoms. Additionally, consistent with prediction, mindfulness-based attention demonstrated incremental validity in relation to perceived health, and the degree of impairment of health in terms of physical and mental functioning. Results are discussed in relation to the construct development of mindfulness-based attention, and specifically, the role(s) of this factor in emotional and physical health processes.

This investigation evaluated the role of mindfulness-based attention in concurrently predicting anxiety and depressive symptomatology and perceived health functioning in a community sample of 170 young adults (95 females; mean age (Mage)522.2 years, SD57.6). Partially consistent with prediction, results indicated that, relative to negative and positive affectivity and emotional expression and processing associated with approach-oriented coping, mindfulness-based attention incrementally predicted anhedonic depressive, but not anxious arousal, symptoms. Additionally, consistent with prediction, mindfulness-based attention demonstrated incremental validity in relation to perceived health, and the degree of impairment of health in terms of physical and mental functioning. Results are discussed in relation to the construct development of mindfulness-based attention, and specifically, the role(s) of this factor in emotional and physical health processes.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) has been shown previously to be an important factor in the perception and experience of experimentally induced pain within healthy adults. The aim of the current study was to extend this research by: (i) using the Anxiety Sensitivity Profile (ASP) as an alternative measure of AS; (ii) examining whether different coping instructions affect pain reports; and (iii) investigating potential differences between men and women. Participants were 50 healthy adults (23 males, 27 females) who were required to complete 2 versions of the cold pressor pain task; one version required the use of control instructions, whereas the other made use of acceptance-based instructions. Although the coping instructions were found to affect pain thresholds (acceptance resulted in lower thresholds), a similar pattern of correlations were found between the pain indexes and AS under both conditions. Of the ASP subscales, the gastrointestinal and cognitive concerns components were found to be the most strongly related to pain experiences. When the analysis was conducted separately for each sex, the ASP scales were related to the self-report measures of pain in women, whereas they were related to the behavioural measures of pain in men. These results not only confirm that AS is associated with experimental pain, but that there may be sex differences in this relationship.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) has been shown previously to be an important factor in the perception and experience of experimentally induced pain within healthy adults. The aim of the current study was to extend this research by: (i) using the Anxiety Sensitivity Profile (ASP) as an alternative measure of AS; (ii) examining whether different coping instructions affect pain reports; and (iii) investigating potential differences between men and women. Participants were 50 healthy adults (23 males, 27 females) who were required to complete 2 versions of the cold pressor pain task; one version required the use of control instructions, whereas the other made use of acceptance-based instructions. Although the coping instructions were found to affect pain thresholds (acceptance resulted in lower thresholds), a similar pattern of correlations were found between the pain indexes and AS under both conditions. Of the ASP subscales, the gastrointestinal and cognitive concerns components were found to be the most strongly related to pain experiences. When the analysis was conducted separately for each sex, the ASP scales were related to the self-report measures of pain in women, whereas they were related to the behavioural measures of pain in men. These results not only confirm that AS is associated with experimental pain, but that there may be sex differences in this relationship.

Few studies have been conducted on psychological disorders other than post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in war survivors. The aim of this study was to examine PTSD, social anxiety disorder (SAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD) and their associations with distress and quality of life in 174 Albanian civilian survivors of the Kosovo war. This included testing of conceptual models suggesting that experiential avoidance might influence associations between anxiety and mood disorders with psychological functioning. Each of the three psychiatric disorders was associated with greater experiential avoidance and psychological distress, and lower quality of life. Being a refugee was associated with a higher likelihood of having SAD and MDD. We found evidence for experiential avoidance as a partial mediator of the respective effects of SAD and PTSD on quality of life; experiential avoidance did not mediate the effects of disorders on global distress. We also found support for a moderation model showing that only war survivors without SAD and low experiential avoidance reported elevated quality of life; people with either SAD or excessive reliance on experiential avoidance reported compromised, low quality of life. This is the third independent study, each using a different methodology, to find empirical support for this moderation model (Kashdan & Breen, 2008; Kashdan & Steger, 2006). Overall, we provided initial evidence for the importance of addressing PTSD, SAD, MDD, and experiential avoidance in primarily civilian war survivors.

Few studies have been conducted on psychological disorders other than post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in war survivors. The aim of this study was to examine PTSD, social anxiety disorder (SAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD) and their associations with distress and quality of life in 174 Albanian civilian survivors of the Kosovo war. This included testing of conceptual models suggesting that experiential avoidance might influence associations between anxiety and mood disorders with psychological functioning. Each of the three psychiatric disorders was associated with greater experiential avoidance and psychological distress, and lower quality of life. Being a refugee was associated with a higher likelihood of having SAD and MDD. We found evidence for experiential avoidance as a partial mediator of the respective effects of SAD and PTSD on quality of life; experiential avoidance did not mediate the effects of disorders on global distress. We also found support for a moderation model showing that only war survivors without SAD and low experiential avoidance reported elevated quality of life; people with either SAD or excessive reliance on experiential avoidance reported compromised, low quality of life. This is the third independent study, each using a different methodology, to find empirical support for this moderation model (Kashdan & Breen, 2008; Kashdan & Steger, 2006). Overall, we provided initial evidence for the importance of addressing PTSD, SAD, MDD, and experiential avoidance in primarily civilian war survivors.