The Mediating Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation on the Relationship between Dimensions of Perfectionism and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

Document Type : پژوهشی

Authors

1 Professor University of Tehran

2 StudentUniversity of Tehran

3 PhD PsychologyTarbiat modares University

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of present study was to examine the mediating role of difficulties in emotion regulation on the relationship between dimensions of perfectionism and depression/anxiety symptoms.
Methodology: The present research was a correlational study with the path analysis model. A total of 528 students at the university of Tehran (274 females, 254 males) were selected by the randomized cluster sampling method. Participants completed the Tehran Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale.
Findings: The results indicated that the hypothesized model had a good fit with the observed data. Other-oriented perfectionism, socially-prescribed perfectionism, and difficulty in emotion regulation showed a significantly positive correlation with depression and anxiety symptoms. Path analysis indicated that the relation between dimension of perfectionism and depression/anxiety symptoms mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation. Considering these variables are important in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms as well as in promoting mental health among general population.

Keywords


Adubale, A. A. (2017). Parenting Styles as Predicators of Anxiety and Depression of In-School Adolescents in Nigeria. Journal of Africa Education Review, 18, 1- 11.
Aldao, A., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Schweizer, S. (2010). Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev, 30(2), 217-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.11.004
Altenstein-Yamanaka, D., Zimmermann, J., Krieger, T., Dörig, N., & & Grosse Holtforth, M. (2017). Self-reported interpersonal problems and impact messages as perceived by significant others are differentially associated with the process and outcome of depression therapy. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64, 410- 423.
Barlow, D. H., & Durand, V. M. (2015). Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (7th ed).. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression.
Beck, A. T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R. A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol, 56(6), 893-897. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.893
Besharat, M. (2014). Psychometri properties of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire in a sample of Iranian population.
Besharat, M. A. (2005). Psychometric properties of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale in clinical and community samples.. Unpublished research report, Tehran: University of Tehran.
Besharat, M. A. (2006). Reliability and validity of the mental health inventory. daneshvar raftar,, 13(16), (Special edition on psychology 6). https://www.sid.ir/en/Journal/ViewPaper.aspx?ID=82431
Besharat, M. A. (2007). Psychometric properties of Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale
 Unpublished research report, Tehran: University of Tehran.
Besharat, M. A. (2011). Development and validation of Tehran Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 79-83.
Besharat, M. A., & Farahman, H. (2017). The mediating role of difficulties in emotion regulation on the relationship between attachment pathologies and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Besharat, M. A., Issazadegan, A., Etemadinia, M., Golssanamlou, S., & Abdolmanafi, A. (2014). Risk factors associated with depressive symptoms among undergraduate students. Asian journal of psychiatry, 10, 21-26.
Castro, J., Soares, M. J., Pereira, A. T., & Macedo, A. (2017). Perfectionism and negative/positive affect associations: the role of cognitive emotion regulation and perceived distress/coping. Trends Psychiatry Psychother, 39(2), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1590/2237-6089-2016-0042
Cha, M. (2016). The mediation effect of mattering and self-esteem in the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and depression: Based on the social disconnection model. Personality and Individual Differences, 88, 148-159.
Chang, E. C. (2017). Perfectionism and loneliness as predictors of depressive and anxious symptoms in African American adults: Further evidence for a top-down additive model. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 41(5), 720-729.
Cisler, J. M., Olatunji, B. O., Feldner, M. T., & Forsyth, J. P. (2010). Emotion Regulation and the Anxiety Disorders: An Integrative Review. J Psychopathol Behav Assess, 32(1), 68-82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-009-9161-1
Costa Jr, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (2008). The Revised Neo Personality Inventory (neo-pi-r). Sage Publications, Inc.
D’Avanzato, C., Joormann, J., Siemer, M., & Gotlib, I. H. (2013). Emotion regulation in depression and anxiety: examining diagnostic specificity and stability of strategy use. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37(5), 968-980.
Ehring, T., Tuschen-Caffier, B., Schnülle, J., Fischer, S., & Gross, J. J. (2010). Emotion regulation and vulnerability to depression: Spontaneous versus instructed use of emotion suppression and reappraisal. Emotion, 10, 563- 572.
Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., Guthrie, I. K., & Reiser, M. (2000). Dispositional emotionality and regulation: their role in predicting quality of social functioning. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(1), 136.
Fekadu, N., Shibeshi, W., & & Engidawork, E. (2017). Major Depressive Disorder: Pathophysiology and Clinical Management. Journal of Depression and Anxiety, 6, 255- 265.
Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2002). Perfectionism and maladjustment: An overview of theoretical, definitional, and treatment issues.
Frost, R. O., & Marten, P. A. (1990). Perfectionism and evaluative threat. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14(6), 559-572.
Gratz, K. L., & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of psychopathology and behavioral assessment, 26(1), 41-54.
Gratz, K. L., Rosenthal, M. Z., Tull, M. T., Lejuez, C. W., & Gunderson, J. G. (2006). An experimental investigation of emotion dysregulation in borderline personality disorder. J Abnorm Psychol, 115(4), 850-855. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.115.4.850
Gratz, K. L., & Tull, M. T. (2010). Emotion regulation as a mechanism of change in acceptance-and mindfulness-based treatments. Assessing mindfulness and acceptance processes in clients: Illuminating the theory and practice of change, 2, 107-133.
Gross, J. J. (2014). Emotion regulation: conceptual and empirical foundations.
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal Personality Social Psychology, 60(3), 456-470. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.60.3.456
Horowitz, L. M., Rosenberg, S. E., Baer, B. A., Ureno, G., & Villasenor, V. S. (1988). Inventory of interpersonal problems: psychometric properties and clinical applications. Journal Consult Clinical Psychology, 56(6), 885-892. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.885
Kiernan, J., Etherton, R., Kiernan, J., & Zavos, P. (2017). Women with Anxiety and Depression: Out of the Darkness and into the Light. M. W. H. 4.
Klemanski, D. H., Curtiss, J., McLaughlin, K. A., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2017). Emotion Regulation and the Transdiagnostic Role of Repetitive Negative Thinking in Adolescents with Social Anxiety and Depression. Cognit Ther Res, 41(2), 206-219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9817-6
Lasota, M. T., & Kearney, C. A. (2017). Maladaptive perfectionism and depression and state-trait anxiety: A mediational analysis with self-esteem. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 36(4), 346-357.
Lessin, D. S., & Pardo, N. T. (2017). The impact of perfectionism on anxiety and depression. Journal of psychology and cognition, 2(1), 78-82.
Lovibond, P. F. (1998). Long-term stability of depression, anxiety, and stress syndromes. J Abnorm Psychol, 107(3), 520-526. https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-843x.107.3.520
Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behav Res Ther, 33(3), 335-343. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-u
Macedo, A., Marques, C., Quaresma, V., Soares, M. J., Amaral, A. P., Araújo, A. I., & Pereira, A. T. (2017). Are perfectionism cognitions and cognitive emotion regulation strategies mediators between perfectionism and psychological distress? Personality and Individual Differences, 119, 46-51.
Macedo, A., Marques, C., Quaresma, V., Soares, M. J., Amaral, A. P., Araújo, A. I., & Pereira, A. T. (2017). Are perfectionism cognitions and cognitive emotion regulation strategies mediators between perfectionism and psychological distress?. Personality and Individual Differences, 119, 46- 51.
Montano, A., Battagliese, G., Borzì, R., Cappelluccio, R., Perrini, F., & Vadalà, R. (2016). Maladaptive Perfectionism and Interpersonal Problems: The Mediating Effect of Emotional Dysregulation in a Clinical Population. Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2, 1-9.
Norton, P. J. (2007). Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21): psychometric analysis across four racial groups. Anxiety Stress Coping, 20(3), 253-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800701309279
Quoidbach, J., Berry, E. V., Hansenne, M., & Mikolajczak, M. (2010). Positive emotion regulation and well-being: Comparing the impact of eight savoring and dampening strategies. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 368- 373.
Rudolph, S. G., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2007). Perfectionism and deficits in cognitive emotion regulation. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 25(4), 343-357.
Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2015). Kaplan & Sadock's synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (Eleventh edition) ed). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.
Schafer, J. O., Naumann, E., Holmes, E. A., Tuschen-Caffier, B., & Samson, A. C. (2017). Emotion Regulation Strategies in Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Youth: A Meta-Analytic Review. J Youth Adolesc, 46(2), 261-276. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0585-0
Scheffold, K., Philipp, R., Koranyi, S., Engelmann, D., Schulz-Kindermann, F., Harter, M., & Mehnert, A. (2018). Insecure attachment predicts depression and death anxiety in advanced cancer patients. Palliat Support Care, 16(3), 308-316. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951517000281
Sherry, D. L., Sherry, S. B., Hewitt, P. L., Mushquash, A., & Flett, G. L. (2015). The existential model of perfectionism and depressive symptoms: Tests of incremental validity, gender differences, and moderated mediation. Personality and Individual Differences, 76, 104- 110.
Smith, M. M., Saklofske, D. H., Yan, G., & Sherry, S. B. (2017). Does perfectionism predict depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction after controlling for neuroticism? Journal of Individual Differences.
Stoeber, J., & Otto, K. (2006). Positive conceptions of perfectionism: approaches, evidence, challenges. Pers Soc Psychol Rev, 10(4), 295-319. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1004_2
Veit, C. T., & Ware, J. E., Jr. (1983). The structure of psychological distress and well-being in general populations. J Consult Clin Psychol, 51(5), 730-742. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.51.5.730
Vigo, D., Thornicroft, G., & Atun, R. (2016). Estimating the true global burden of mental illness. Lancet Psychiatry, 3(2), 171-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00505-2
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. J Pers Soc Psychol, 54(6), 1063-1070. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063  
CAPTCHA Image