Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


Carhart Final ETD Revised Embedded.pdf (2.76 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

The Relationships between Acceptance, Avoidance, and Immunity in Medical Rehabilitation

Carhart, Victoria L.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1434906069

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology/Clinical.
Research indicates that acceptance and avoidance play a role in medical rehabilitation recovery. Acceptance, defined as nonjudgmentally experiencing emotions, thoughts, and physiological sensations without attempting to avoid or alter these experiences or letting them control one's actions, has generally been related to better psychosocial outcomes while avoidance, defined as the conscious effort to avoid distressing emotions, thoughts, and physiological sensations, has generally shown to be related to poorer psychosocial outcomes. When considering their impact on immunological functioning, a review of the existing literature reveals that acceptance appears to be associated with better immunological functioning while avoidance has generally been related to poorer immunological functioning. The number of studies on these relationships is limited, though, particularly within a medical rehabilitation population. A psychoneuroimmunological framework is used to identify and describe the mechanisms likely underlying the relationships between acceptance/avoidance and immune functioning, and highlights their potential role as mediators in stress-immunity pathways. The present study examined the interrelationships between acceptance, avoidance, and immunity within a medical rehabilitation population and examined the potential mediating role of acceptance and avoidance in the stress-immunity relationships. Results provided preliminary support for relationships between acceptance/avoidance and immunity, as well as for the theoretical validity of the acceptance, avoidance, and stress constructs measured in this study. Limitations of the present study are explored and subsequent indications for future research directions are discussed.
William O'Brien, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Howard Cromwell, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kenneth Pargament, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
L. Fleming Fallon, M.D., Ph.D., Dr.P.H. (Committee Member)
170 p.
Clinical Psychology; Psychology; Rehabilitation
acceptance; avoidance; immune functioning; medical rehabilitation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Carhart, V. L. (2015). The Relationships between Acceptance, Avoidance, and Immunity in Medical Rehabilitation [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1434906069

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Carhart, Victoria. The Relationships between Acceptance, Avoidance, and Immunity in Medical Rehabilitation . 2015. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1434906069.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Carhart, Victoria. "The Relationships between Acceptance, Avoidance, and Immunity in Medical Rehabilitation ." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1434906069

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1434906069
1,251
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.