Abstract
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) targets maladaptive beliefs about worry, uncertainty, problems, and emotions. Only half of individuals report clinically significant change after CBT, suggesting that not all relevant processes are addressed in treatment. Early writings advanced the self as a potential contributing mechanism to worry, but this has been underexplored. The present study investigated, in individuals high in GAD symptoms (N = 144), whether possible selves and self-concept clarity (SCC) uniquely predicted worry after controlling for established correlates. Thematic analysis was also applied to the content of the possible selves. Low SCC emerged as the second strongest correlate of worry, following negative beliefs about worry. Thematic analyses revealed that participant-generated self-descriptors tended to reflect intellectual enlightenment and exceptional achievement (ideal self), moral excellence (ought self), and a “flawed” self (feared self). Findings offer promising evidence for the role of self-constructs in the maintenance of chronic worry.
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Notes
In line with recommendations from an anonymous reviewer, regression analyses with only the self-schematic constructs predicting worry were also conducted. SCC was the only unique predictor of worry; none of the self-discrepancy variables emerged as unique correlates. Results are available upon request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Dr. Erin Hardin for providing us with the materials necessary to administer the ISDI. We also gratefully acknowledge Dr. Chris Brewin for sharing his coding framework to guide our interpretation of the feared selves in this study.
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This research was conducted with the support of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The funding source had no involvement in the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or the writing of the report and the decision to submit the article for publication.
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Zheng, S., Cupid, J., Deska, J.C. et al. An Investigation of the Relations of Possible Selves and Self-Concept Clarity to Generalized Anxiety Disorder. J Cogn Ther 16, 390–415 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00168-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00168-y