The effects of worry and rumination on response to daily events in depression and generalized anxiety disorder: Application of the contrast avoidance model
Restricted (Penn State Only)
Author:
Baik, Seung Yeon
Graduate Program:
Psychology
Degree:
Master of Science
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
June 29, 2022
Committee Members:
Michelle Gayle Newman, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Louis Georges Castonguay, Committee Member Kristin Buss (She/Her), Program Head/Chair Jonathan Emdin Cook, Committee Member
Keywords:
generalized anxiety disorder major depressive disorder contrast avoidance worry rumination
Abstract:
The contrast avoidance model (CAM) suggests that worry enhances and sustains negative affect, enabling improvement in mood (positive emotional contrast) and avoidance of a sharp contrast in negative affect (negative emotional contrast). This mechanism may apply to rumination. We examined the effects of rumination and worry on emotional contrasts related to CAM.
Participants (N = 63) were individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and/or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (N = 36) or who had no present psychopathology (N = 27). They received 8 prompts/day for 8 days and completed a brief questionnaire. Data were analyzed with three-level multilevel models, accounting for nesting of repeated emotion ratings within events and repeated events within participants.
Higher levels of worry and rumination were associated with higher concurrent anxiety and sadness, and lower happiness. Higher levels of worry and rumination before a negative event were associated with less increased anxiety and sadness, and less decreased happiness after the event. Higher levels of worry and rumination before positive and relief events were associated with greater decreased anxiety and sadness, and greater increased happiness after the event. The moderating effect of group was not significant. Participants with MDD/GAD reported higher level of focusing on the negative to avoid negative shift in emotion in response to potential future threat and to increase the probability of feeling pleasantly surprised when something good happened.
The results suggest that the contrast avoidance model is transdiagnostic and that individuals with MDD/GAD intentionally choose to engage in repetitive negative thinking as a coping mechanism.
