Andrew T Gloster1, Jürgen Hoyer2, Maria Karekla3, Andrea Meyer4, Klaus Bader5, Christian Imboden6, Thorsten Mikoteit7, Martin Hatzinger7, Roselind Lieb4. 1. Division of Clinical Psychology and Intervention Science, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland, andrew.gloster@unibas.ch. 2. Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dresden, Germany. 3. Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus. 4. Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 5. Centre for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 6. Private Clinic Wyss, Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland. 7. Psychiatric Services Solothurn and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Stress and social isolation are potent predictors of negative health outcomes and are impacted in mood and anxiety disorders. Difficulties in social interactions have been particularly noted in people diagnosed with major depression disorder (MDD) and social phobia (SP). It remains poorly understood, however, how these variables interact on a moment-to-moment basis and which variables moderate this relationship. Psychological flexibility, or the ability to be open to experiences while maintaining engagement in valued activities, may help moderate the relationship between stress and social interaction. OBJECTIVE: This study examined these variables in participants diagnosed with MDD and SP and compared them to a control group. METHODS: Participants were diagnosed with a mental disorder (n = 118 MDD; n = 47 SP) or were in the control group consisting of participants without MDD or SP (n = 119). Using the event sampling methodology (ESM), participants were queried six times per day for 7 days about stress, social interactions, and emotional response (rigid vs. flexible). RESULTS: Higher current stress levels were related to more social interactions. This relationship was even stronger in situations when response flexibility was increased, especially in the clinical groups. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that a healthy psychological process (flexible emotional responding) buffers the relationship between stress and social interactions. We discuss how these variables interact and whether these patterns may paradoxically contribute to the maintenance of psychopathology.
INTRODUCTION:Stress and social isolation are potent predictors of negative health outcomes and are impacted in mood and anxiety disorders. Difficulties in social interactions have been particularly noted in people diagnosed with major depression disorder (MDD) and social phobia (SP). It remains poorly understood, however, how these variables interact on a moment-to-moment basis and which variables moderate this relationship. Psychological flexibility, or the ability to be open to experiences while maintaining engagement in valued activities, may help moderate the relationship between stress and social interaction. OBJECTIVE: This study examined these variables in participants diagnosed with MDD and SP and compared them to a control group. METHODS:Participants were diagnosed with a mental disorder (n = 118 MDD; n = 47 SP) or were in the control group consisting of participants without MDD or SP (n = 119). Using the event sampling methodology (ESM), participants were queried six times per day for 7 days about stress, social interactions, and emotional response (rigid vs. flexible). RESULTS: Higher current stress levels were related to more social interactions. This relationship was even stronger in situations when response flexibility was increased, especially in the clinical groups. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that a healthy psychological process (flexible emotional responding) buffers the relationship between stress and social interactions. We discuss how these variables interact and whether these patterns may paradoxically contribute to the maintenance of psychopathology.
Authors: Elisa Haller; Jelena Lubenko; Giovambattista Presti; Valeria Squatrito; Marios Constantinou; Christiana Nicolaou; Savvas Papacostas; Gökçen Aydın; Yuen Yu Chong; Wai Tong Chien; Ho Yu Cheng; Francisco J Ruiz; María B García-Martín; Diana P Obando-Posada; Miguel A Segura-Vargas; Vasilis S Vasiliou; Louise McHugh; Stefan Höfer; Adriana Baban; David Dias Neto; Ana Nunes da Silva; Jean-Louis Monestès; Javier Alvarez-Galvez; Marisa Paez-Blarrina; Francisco Montesinos; Sonsoles Valdivia-Salas; Dorottya Ori; Bartosz Kleszcz; Raimo Lappalainen; Iva Ivanović; David Gosar; Frederick Dionne; Rhonda M Merwin; Maria Karekla; Angelos P Kassianos; Andrew T Gloster Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2022-02-11