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Evaluating a Brief Emotion Regulation Training in Reducing Worry and Rumination in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder

Plate, Andre J
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1476274384505312

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are two highly comorbid and prevalent psychological disorders that have profound physical and mental health consequences (e.g., Kessler et al., 2008; Wittchen, 2002; Wittchen, Carter, Pfister, Montgomery, & Kessler, 2000). These disorders are respectively characterized by worry and rumination – two forms of repetitive negative thinking that exacerbate symptoms and emotional difficulties. In order to better understand and treat these conditions, many contemporary treatments have begun to adopt an emotion regulation (ER) framework by placing an emphasis on teaching patients to use more adaptive ER strategies, notably acceptance and reappraisal. However, less is known about the specific mechanisms by which these strategies can reduce worry and rumination in people with GAD and MDD. To investigate these ER processes, I developed and tested a brief ER training that taught people diagnosed with GAD and/or MDD (N = 41) to use acceptance and reappraisal to more effectively disengage from their most distressing worries and ruminative thoughts during a worry or rumination induction and a subsequent ER task. Contrary to my hypotheses, participants in the ER training condition were not buffered against the deleterious effects of the induction relative to those who received a control training. Moreover, during the ER task, all participants experienced a reduction in negative affect but not their use of worry and rumination, despite reporting increases in acceptance and reappraisal. Finally, there was support for the differential effects of inducing worry versus rumination on negative affect and the use of these ER strategies. Overall, this experimental study offers a framework for examining whether utilizing more adaptive ER strategies can decrease patterns of worry and rumination. Importantly, a more sophisticated understanding of these mechanisms may help inform subsequent emotion-focused interventions for GAD and MDD.
Amelia Aldao, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Jennifer Cheavens, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Michael Vasey, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
130 p.
Clinical Psychology; Psychology
emotion regulation; generalized anxiety disorder; major depressive disorder; worry; rumination; reappraisal; acceptance

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Plate, A. J. (2016). Evaluating a Brief Emotion Regulation Training in Reducing Worry and Rumination in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1476274384505312

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Plate, Andre. Evaluating a Brief Emotion Regulation Training in Reducing Worry and Rumination in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1476274384505312.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Plate, Andre. "Evaluating a Brief Emotion Regulation Training in Reducing Worry and Rumination in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1476274384505312

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1476274384505312
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.