A multi-method analysis of distress tolerance in body dysmorphic disorder

Abstract

Distress tolerance (DT) is a transdiagnostic construct linked to multiple psychiatric disorders. We conducted three studies using different methods to investigate the relationship between DT and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Study 1 found a significant relationship between low DT and more severe BDD symptoms in an adult community sample (N=81). In Study 2, we found a similar relationship between lower DT and greater BDD symptoms in a student sample (N=192). Furthermore, we found a unique relationship between greater BDD symptoms and lower self-reported tolerance of anger and sadness mood induction tasks. Greater BDD symptoms were not significantly associated with lower self-reported tolerance of a fear mood induction task. In Study 3, a clinical sample of individuals with BDD (N=40) reported lower DT than a sample of healthy controls (N=36). Findings suggest that low DT is a broad vulnerability factor related to BDD.