The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people

Background: People with health anxiety experience high levels of concern about physical symptoms and use coping strategies such as avoidance in the face of these negative emotions. This study aimed to compare distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with and without health anxiety. M...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moghbeli-Hanzaii M, Omidi A, Zanjani Z
Format: Article
Language:fas
Published: Kashan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services 2020-02-01
Series:Fiyz̤
Subjects:
Online Access:http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-3866-en.html
_version_ 1818690132614578176
author Moghbeli-Hanzaii M
Omidi A
Zanjani Z
author_facet Moghbeli-Hanzaii M
Omidi A
Zanjani Z
author_sort Moghbeli-Hanzaii M
collection DOAJ
description Background: People with health anxiety experience high levels of concern about physical symptoms and use coping strategies such as avoidance in the face of these negative emotions. This study aimed to compare distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with and without health anxiety. Materials and Methods: This is a Case-control study. The research sample consisted of two groups of 40 students from Kashan University and Kashan University of Medical Sciences. The health anxiety group was selected by purposeful sampling. The normal group was selected by convenience sampling method. The research tools were: Short form health anxiety questionnaire (F-SHAI), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2 (AAQ-2). Data was analyzed using SPSS-19 software and independent t-test. Results: Score mean of experiential avoidance was 28.30 (SD=7.41) in people with health anxiety and 20.15 (SD=7.70) in normal people. The score mean of distress tolerance in people with health anxiety was 38/35 (SD=7.26) and in normal people was 44/42(SD=9.70). The results of Independent t-test showed that there was a significant difference between two groups in experiential avoidance score (t=4.82) and distress tolerance score (t=-3.16, P<0.001). Conclusion: Individuals with health anxiety reported more experiential avoidance and less distress tolerance than normal people. These people are more attracted to their health-related negative emotions and because of the inability to tolerate these distresses, they avoid stressful situations associated with these distresses.
first_indexed 2024-12-17T12:21:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-37112308309e415b942ca49a9ddc2f9a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1029-7855
2008-9821
language fas
last_indexed 2024-12-17T12:21:08Z
publishDate 2020-02-01
publisher Kashan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services
record_format Article
series Fiyz̤
spelling doaj.art-37112308309e415b942ca49a9ddc2f9a2022-12-21T21:48:58ZfasKashan University of Medical Sciences and Health ServicesFiyz̤1029-78552008-98212020-02-01236689697The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal peopleMoghbeli-Hanzaii M0Omidi A1Zanjani Z2Department of Psychology, Medical Faculty, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.Department of Psychology, Medical Faculty, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.Department of Psychology, Medical Faculty, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.Background: People with health anxiety experience high levels of concern about physical symptoms and use coping strategies such as avoidance in the face of these negative emotions. This study aimed to compare distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with and without health anxiety. Materials and Methods: This is a Case-control study. The research sample consisted of two groups of 40 students from Kashan University and Kashan University of Medical Sciences. The health anxiety group was selected by purposeful sampling. The normal group was selected by convenience sampling method. The research tools were: Short form health anxiety questionnaire (F-SHAI), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2 (AAQ-2). Data was analyzed using SPSS-19 software and independent t-test. Results: Score mean of experiential avoidance was 28.30 (SD=7.41) in people with health anxiety and 20.15 (SD=7.70) in normal people. The score mean of distress tolerance in people with health anxiety was 38/35 (SD=7.26) and in normal people was 44/42(SD=9.70). The results of Independent t-test showed that there was a significant difference between two groups in experiential avoidance score (t=4.82) and distress tolerance score (t=-3.16, P<0.001). Conclusion: Individuals with health anxiety reported more experiential avoidance and less distress tolerance than normal people. These people are more attracted to their health-related negative emotions and because of the inability to tolerate these distresses, they avoid stressful situations associated with these distresses.http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-3866-en.htmlhealth anxietydistress toleranceexperiential avoidance
spellingShingle Moghbeli-Hanzaii M
Omidi A
Zanjani Z
The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
Fiyz̤
health anxiety
distress tolerance
experiential avoidance
title The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
title_full The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
title_fullStr The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
title_full_unstemmed The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
title_short The comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
title_sort comparison of distress tolerance and experiential avoidance in people with health anxiety and normal people
topic health anxiety
distress tolerance
experiential avoidance
url http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-3866-en.html
work_keys_str_mv AT moghbelihanzaiim thecomparisonofdistresstoleranceandexperientialavoidanceinpeoplewithhealthanxietyandnormalpeople
AT omidia thecomparisonofdistresstoleranceandexperientialavoidanceinpeoplewithhealthanxietyandnormalpeople
AT zanjaniz thecomparisonofdistresstoleranceandexperientialavoidanceinpeoplewithhealthanxietyandnormalpeople
AT moghbelihanzaiim comparisonofdistresstoleranceandexperientialavoidanceinpeoplewithhealthanxietyandnormalpeople
AT omidia comparisonofdistresstoleranceandexperientialavoidanceinpeoplewithhealthanxietyandnormalpeople
AT zanjaniz comparisonofdistresstoleranceandexperientialavoidanceinpeoplewithhealthanxietyandnormalpeople