Low Distress Tolerance Research Articles

Transdiagnostic Risk Factors for Reasons for Smoking: Evaluating the Concurrent Role of Distress Tolerance and Anxiety Sensitivity.

Although rates of cigarette smoking have declined in the US, many individuals report experiencing significant barriers to quitting smoking, including poor mental health. Two prominent affective vulnerability factors that independently underlie both smoking behavior and processes and mental health include distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity. However, limited work has examined the concurrent role of these factors on motivational reasons for smoking. The current study is a secondary analysis of baseline data from a nationally recruited sample of individuals (N = 156; Mage = 29.74, SD = 7.72; 69.2% female) interested in participating in a digitally delivered intervention for comorbid smoking and low distress tolerance. Two-step hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the unique role of self-reported distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity in relation to reasons for smoking (i.e., habitual, negative affect reduction, addictive, pleasurable/relaxation, stimulation, and sensorimotor manipulation). Results indicated that lower levels of distress tolerance and greater levels of anxiety sensitivity were associated with greater sensorimotor manipulation reasons for smoking. Only distress tolerance was related to addictive, negative affect reduction, and stimulation reasons for smoking, whereas only anxiety sensitivity was related to habitual reasons for smoking. The current findings suggest that there is an explanatory utility for unique and multi-risk effects for distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity for understanding smoking motives.

Empirical evidence of the role of executive functions in tolerance of emotional distress

ABSTRACT Executive functions are domain general and therefore coordinate other processes, such as emotion regulation. One emotion regulation skill that has gained interest in the last decade is distress tolerance (DT), but its relationship with executive functions has been poorly explored. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between executive functions and self-perceived and behavioural DT. A total of 196 university students (age: M = 22.63 years; SD = 3.26) completed a Reading Span Task, the Five Digits Test, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task, and the Distress Tolerance Scale. Better executive functioning was related to higher self-perceived DT. Regarding behavioural DT, students with high DT showed greater cognitive flexibility and greater inhibition than students with low behavioural DT (no differences were found for working memory). The study contribute to the knowledge of the relationships between cognitive and emotional self-regulatory processes and provides a starting point for future research.

The relationship between distress tolerance and behavioral activation on anxiety and depression symptomatology in autistic youth: Leveraging self and caregiver perspectives.

Anxiety and depression are prevalent among autistic adolescents and may be difficult to accurately diagnose and treat given various factors (e.g., diagnostic overshadowing, heterogeneity). Therefore, efforts to examine transdiagnostic factors (i.e., distress tolerance, behavioral activation) may afford more parsimonious means for assessment and treatment. To our knowledge, there has been little research on distress tolerance, behavioral activation, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in autistic adolescents to guide diagnostic practices and treatment planning. In the current study, we examined the interrelationships between these transdiagnostic factors and depressive and anxiety symptoms using ratings from 100 verbally fluent autistic adolescents without intellectual disability (Mage = 13.70, SDage = 2.23, Range: 11:00-17:11 years) and 100 of their caregivers. Many adolescents reported male sex assigned at birth (61%), cisgender (87%), not Hispanic/Latinx (90%), and White (80%) identities. A series of correlational analyses were employed to examine associations between these constructs from youth and caregiver perspectives, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the mediating roles of distress tolerance and behavioral activation. Preliminary results show that low distress tolerance and behavioral activation were associated with more severe internalizing symptoms per self- and caregiver-report. Some differences by rater emerged, which highlight the importance of multi-informant ratings in autism. Results from mediation analyses may show that behavioral activation may be more salient to assessments and treatment planning for depression than distress tolerance, while distress tolerance may be important for both anxiety and depression; however, findings are preliminary given the cross-sectional nature of the data. Findings suggest that these transdiagnostic concepts may be important to individualizing treatment approaches, including the timing of certain approaches, for anxiety and/or depression in autistic adolescents.

Rates and psychological stress predictors of problematic internet use (PIU) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a racially diverse sample of young adults

ABSTRACT Background Problematic internet use (PIU), which includes social media misuse (SMM) and gaming misuse (GM), is uncontrollable and associated with significant psychological impairment. PIU is a coping behavior for COVID-19-related stress. We explored distress-related predictors of PIU in a young adult racially diverse sample during the pandemic. Methods Analyses used cross-sectional survey data (N = 1956). Psychological diagnoses, financial distress, COVID-19-related emotions, psychological distress, distress tolerance, social support, loneliness, SMM and GM were measured. Hierarchical multiple regressions identified predictors of PIU. Race-stratified exploratory analyses sought to understand if predictors held true across racial groups. Results Low distress tolerance was associated with SMM and GM, as were depression symptoms, with racial differences observed. SMM was associated with younger age, and GM was associated with male gender. PTSD symptoms predicted more GM. SMM and GM rates varied between racial groups. COVID-19-related adjustment challenges and stress predicted SMM and GM respectively, with racial differences observed. Conclusion Individual psychological distress and low distress tolerance markedly increased PIU risk. Clinicians should screen for stress-related PIU risk factors and bolster distress tolerance in vulnerable patients. Comparing PIU to different forms of coping in a larger sample would further clarify groups differences in stress coping behaviors.

Cross-cultural translation and validation of the Chinese version Distress Tolerance Scale for adolescents with chronic physical disease.

Chronic physical disease (CPD) makes life filled with many negative events in adolescents, but not all adolescents experiencing negative life events proceed to develop emotional distress, only those with low emotional distress tolerance (EDT). A valid and reliable scale to measure EDT in CPD adolescents is important for caring for their emotional distress. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to translate the 15-item English version Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) into a Chinese version and then validate the scale for measuring EDT of adolescents with CPD. The 15-item English version DTS was translated into a Chinese version using the translation guidelines for cross-cultural research. Two cohorts of adolescents with CPD were recruited from four hospitals in southern Taiwan, with the first cohort including 124 adolescents with CPD employed to conduct exploratory factor analysis, corrected item-total correlation and reliability testing, while the second cohort, consisting of 238 adolescents with CPD, was utilized to examine confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity. The two-factor nine-item Chinese version DTS for Adolescents with CPD (C-DTS-A) was developed. Lower scores of the C-DTS-A were significantly associated with higher diabetes distress, poorer self-management, and worse glycaemic control; their correlation coefficients sequentially were -.40, .17 and -.23. Cronbach's α and the test-retest reliability of the two-factor C-DTS-A ranged from .81 to .87 and from .79 to .89, respectively. The two-factor nine-item C-DTS-A with good cross-cultural translation quality was a reliable and valid scale to assess EDT for adolescents with CPD.

Resilience and Vulnerability: Understanding Distress Tolerance and Mindfulness among Tribals with Alcohol Use Disorder in India

Background: Alcohol use disorder may be directly or indirectly related to mindfulness and distress tolerance, and these factors are often targeted in treatment. However, such evidence has yet to be established among tribal. The research aimed to investigate the levels and relationships of mindfulness, distress tolerance, and dependence severity among tribal individuals with alcohol use disorder. Methodology: Two hundred tribals with alcohol use disorder were recruited at three tertiary health-care centers in three districts and assessed with the sociodemographic and clinical pro forma, Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMSR), the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), and Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS). Results: The mean score on the SDS, CAMSR, and DTS was 4.99, 23.52, and 33.44, respectively. There were no statistically significant relationships between the measure of mindfulness scores and dependence severity scores. However, the perceived capacity to endure emotional suffering and negative emotions consuming one’s focus was significantly inversely linked to the severity of dependence. Conclusion: There are lower distress tolerance and mindfulness levels among tribals with alcohol use disorder. The severity of alcohol use has no significant link with mindfulness, but has inversely linked with emotional distress tolerance and attention absorption by negative emotions.

Examination of Rumination's Mediating Role in the Relation Between Distal Personality Predictors, Cannabis Coping Motives, and Negative Cannabis-Related Consequences.

Perseverative cognitive processes, such as rumination, may indirectly influence effects of personality traits on cannabis use and related problems. Understanding relations among personality, rumination, and cannabis use motives may lead to better understanding of problematic cannabis use. The present study examined personality traits' influence on negative cannabis-related consequences via rumination and cannabis use coping motives. We tested a sequential path model across two independent samples such that the model was tested in one sample and replicated in the second sample. Participants were U.S. undergraduate students from multiple universities who reported using cannabis at least once in the prior thirty days. Results partially supported hypotheses such negative urgency and distress tolerance were indirectly related to negative cannabis-related consequences via rumination and coping motives. Specifically, higher negative urgency and lower distress tolerance were related to higher rumination. Higher rumination was related to higher coping motives; which in turn was related to more negative cannabis-related consequences. Results indicate that rumination is a risk factor belying associations between personality and cannabis use to cope and negative consequences of use. Implementing techniques that attenuate rumination for individuals high in negative urgency or low in distress tolerance may reduce or prevent problematic cannabis and unintended outcomes.

Association between personality traits and symptoms of depression and anxiety via emotional regulation and distress tolerance.

The Big Five personality traits have shown associations with symptoms of depression and anxiety among college students, but it is unclear which factors mediate these relationships. Past research suggests that psychological distress is closely related to difficulties in affect regulation (e.g., low distress tolerance). Therefore, the present study examined the associations between personality traits and depression and anxiety via emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Participants were 694 (81.4% females; Mean age = 23.12 [SD 2.75]) Argentinian college students who completed an online survey examining mental health and personality variables. A sizeable percentage of students endorsed moderate to severe symptoms of depression (45.1%) or anxiety (25.9%). Utilizing path analyses, we found that appraisal, a dimension of distress tolerance, atemporally mediated the association between emotional stability and symptoms of depression/anxiety (i.e., higher levels of emotional stability → higher appraisal distress tolerance → fewer symptoms of depression/anxiety). Further, expressive suppression (a dimension of emotion regulation) significantly mediated the associations between personality traits (i.e., agreeableness and extraversion) and symptoms of depression (higher levels of agreeableness/extraversion → lower use of expressive suppression → fewer symptoms of depression). Taken together, the results suggest that higher levels of emotional stability, extraversion and agreeableness could protect students from the development of symptoms of depression/anxiety via lower maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and higher distress tolerance (particularly appraisal). These findings highlight the relevance of intervention strategies specifically tailored to improve distress tolerance and emotion regulation for those students undergoing mental health problems.

8 Self-Reported versus Performance-Based Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment in Older Women with Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer

Objective:The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive scale (FACT-Cog) is one of the most frequently used patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) and of CRCI-related impact on quality of life (QOL). Previous studies using the FACT-Cog found that >75% of women with breast cancer (BCa) experience CRCI. Distress tolerance (DT) is a complex construct that encompasses both the perceived capacity (i.e., cognitive appraisal) and the behavioral act of withstanding uncomfortable/aversive/negative emotional or physical experiences. Low DT is associated with psychopathology and executive dysfunction. We previously found that women with BCa with better DT skills reported less CRCI on the FACT-Cog. However, this relationship has not been tested using a performance-based cognitive measure. Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (1) assess the relationship between the FACT-Cog and the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), a performance-based cognitive measure; and (2) test whether the association between DT and CRCI (using the FACT-Cog) was replicated with the TICS.Participants and Methods:Participants completed the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), the FACT-Cog, and the TICS after undergoing BCa surgery and prior to starting adjuvant therapy [101 women, age >50 years, M(SD)= 61.15(7.76), 43% White Non-Hispanic, 34.4% White Hispanic, 10.8% Black, with nonmetastatic BCa, 55.4% lumpectomy, 36.6% mastectomy; median 29 days post-surgery].Results:Although there was a significant correlation between the TICS total score and the FACT-CogQOL subscale (r = 0.347, p < 0.001), the TICS total score was not correlated with scores on the FACT-Cog perceived cognitive impairment (CogPCI), perceived cognitive abilities (CogPCA), or comments from others (CogOth) subscales. However, the TICS memory item, a 10-word list immediate recall task, had a weak statistically significant correlation with CogPCI (r = 0.237, p < 0.032), CogOth (r = 0.223, p < 0.044), and CogPCA (r = 0.233, p < 0.036). Next, the sample was divided based on the participant’s score on TICS memory item (i.e., < vs. > sample mean of 5.09). Results of independent samples t-tests demonstrated significant differences in mean scores for CogPCI, f(80) = -2.09, p = 0.04, Mdt = -7.65, Cohen’s d = 0.483, and CogQOL, f(80) = -2.57, p = 0.01, Mditt = -2.38, Cohen’s d = 0.593. A hierarchical linear regression found that DTS subscale and total scores did not significantly predict performance on the TICS. However, DTS continued to be a significant predictor of poorer FACT-Cog PCI scores while controlling for TICS scores.Conclusions:We found a weak relationship between self-reported cognitive impairment and objective cognitive performance (TICS). However, greater self-reported PCI and its impact on QOL was found in participants who scored below the sample mean on a recall task from the TICS. Although perceived ability to tolerate distress continued to predict self-reported PCI on the FACT-Cog, it did not predict overall performance on the TICS. Therefore, responses on the FACT-Cog may be more representative of an individual’s ability to tolerate distress related to perceived CRCI than actual overall cognitive ability or impairment.

Posttraumatic stress and distress tolerance in relation to opioid misuse and dependence among trauma-exposed adults with chronic pain.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms have been associated with opioid misuse and dependence among adults with chronic pain. Lower levels of perceived distress tolerance (i.e., perceived ability to withstand negative emotional states) have been independently associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms and opioid-related problems among nonchronic pain samples. However, there has not been a test of whether distress tolerance interacts with posttraumatic stress in terms of opioid misuse among trauma-exposed persons with chronic pain. Therefore, the present study examined the interaction between distress tolerance and posttraumatic stress symptoms in relation to opioid misuse and dependence among trauma-exposed adults with chronic pain who were using opioids (N = 289; 70.9% female, Mage = 37.75, SD = 10.83). Results indicated a significant negative interaction of distress tolerance with posttraumatic stress in terms of opioid misuse and dependence, as the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms and opioid misuse and dependence was diminished at higher levels of distress tolerance. The current findings help refine our understanding of the subgroups of persons with chronic pain distinguished by low distress tolerance and at the greatest risk for misusing opioids. Furthermore, current models of chronic pain and opioid misuse could be refined by integrating distress tolerance. These findings may help inform interventions for trauma-exposed persons with chronic pain who use opioids. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy in Response Inhibition and Cognitive Flexibility of Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Background: People traumatized by wars develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have low distress tolerance or emotional perception. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in response inhibition and cognitive flexibility of veterans with PTSD. Methods: This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest-posttest follow-up control group design. The statistical population included all the veterans supported by the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs (FMVA) in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province (Iran) in 2021. The purposive sampling method was employed to select 30 veterans who visited the psychological service centers affiliated with the FMVA of Ahvaz. They were then randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The participants in the experimental group received ten 60-minute EMDR therapy sessions held by the researcher, who underwent specialized training at the FMVA Counseling Center in Boustan Hospital. The participants in the control group received no intervention. The cognitive flexibility questionnaire and response inhibition scale were used to collect data. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for data analysis in SPSS 24. Results: In the experimental group, the posttest and follow-up scores of response inhibition (response time) and cognitive flexibility showed significant improvements compared to pretest scores (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Hence, EMDR therapy improved cognitive flexibility and response inhibition in veterans with PTSD. As a result, EMDR therapy can be employed to enhance the psychological characteristics of veterans with stress.

Personalized feedback intervention for individuals with low distress tolerance who smoke cigarettes: A randomized controlled trial of a digital intervention

IntroductionCigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disability in the United States and frequently co-occurs with anxiety and depressive symptoms. A novel and integrative, theory-driven approach to address the heterogeneity of mood-related symptoms associated with cigarette use is to focus on transdiagnostic processes, such as distress tolerance, that underpin both mood-related symptoms and smoking behavior. The current study sought to develop and examine the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a digitally delivered integrated personalized feedback intervention (PFI) that addresses smoking-distress tolerance relations. MethodsParticipants included 121 adults (71.1 % male; Mage = 29.33 years, SD = 7.52) who smoked cigarettes daily and reported low distress tolerance. The study randomized participants to the Active PFI (feedback on distress tolerance and smoking) or the Control PFI (feedback on smoking only). ResultsResults indicated feasibility and acceptability demonstrated by the ability to retain participants through the 1-month follow-up (98.2 % retention rate) and positive feedback from participants, including satisfaction regarding the Active PFI. The Active PFI (vs. Control PFI) was also a statistically significant predictor of change in motivation and intention to quit smoking and willingness to use adaptive coping strategies from baseline to 1-month follow-up. ConclusionsFor individuals with low distress tolerance who smoke cigarettes, this study's findings suggest that the current intervention may be a first-step to aid in increasing motivation/intention to quit smoking and willingness to use adaptive coping strategies.

Distress tolerance and problematic cannabis use: does the form of cannabis matter?

Background Low distress tolerance may result in greater vulnerability to problematic cannabis use. However, the role of the primary form of cannabis used has not been examined as a moderator of this association. While marijuana flower remains the preferred form of cannabis, the popularity of other forms of cannabis, including concentrates and edibles, is on the rise. Objectives We examined the association between distress tolerance and problematic cannabis use and whether the primary form of cannabis used moderates this relationship. Methods Participants were 695 (67.6% male) past-month cannabis users who completed an online survey. Multiple linear regressions assessed whether distress tolerance, the primary form of cannabis used, and their interaction were related to problematic cannabis use while controlling for demographic variables and past 30-day alcohol and cannabis use frequency. Results Lower tolerance for distress was associated with more problematic cannabis use. Endorsing concentrates as the primary form of cannabis used vs. marijuana flower was related to more problematic cannabis use while reporting edibles as the primary form of cannabis used vs. marijuana flower or concentrates was related to less problematic cannabis use. Individuals preferring marijuana flower or concentrates reported more problematic cannabis use at lower levels of distress tolerance. Conclusions Cannabis users exhibiting low distress tolerance or a preference for concentrates may be at greatest risk for experiencing negative consequences related to their cannabis use. Additionally, building tolerance for stressful situations, among both concentrates and marijuana flower users, may aid in minimizing problematic cannabis use.

An Investigation of the Mediating Roles of Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Distress Tolerance, Self-Compassion, and Self-Disgust in the Association Between Childhood Trauma and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Objective Childhood maltreatment has been associated as a risk factor with the development of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), with difficulty in emotion regulation explaining the association. However, little is known about the potential factors that make some individuals with maltreatment history more vulnerable to difficulties in emotion regulation and, in turn, engage in NSSI. The current study aimed to examine the roles of distress tolerance, self-compassion, and self-disgust in the association between childhood maltreatment types and emotion regulation difficulty, which was expected to predict NSSI. Method The sample included 397 university students between the ages of 18 and 30. Participants completed self-report scales assessing childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation difficulty, distress tolerance, self-compassion, self-disgust, and NSSI using the paper-pencil and online methods. The mediation model suggested for the association between childhood maltreatment types and NSSI was tested using path analysis. Results Low distress tolerance, low self-compassion, high self-disgust, and resulting high emotion regulation difficulty mediated the indirect effect of emotional neglect on NSSI. Conclusion The current study sheds light on various factors in the development and maintenance of NSSI and reveals three developmental pathways from emotional neglect in childhood to engaging in NSSI. HIGHLIGHTS Emotional neglect may be a distal risk factor for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Low distress tolerance and self-compassion and high self-disgust may increase the risk of NSSI. Emotion regulation difficulty may make people engage in NSSI to regulate emotions.

Distress tolerance and emotional regulation in individuals with alcohol use disorder.

Previous research suggests that low distress tolerance may be associated with poor emotion regulation, contribute to drinking to cope motives, and predict alcohol-related problems in non-clinical populations. However, little is known about the ability to tolerate distress among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its association with emotional dysregulation. The aim of this study was to examine the link between emotional dysregulation and a behavioral measure of distress tolerance among individuals with AUD. The sample consisted of 227 individuals with AUD enrolled in an 8-week abstinence-based inpatient treatment program. Behavioral distress tolerance was assessed using a test of ischemic pain tolerance and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) was used to assess emotion dysregulation. Distress tolerance was significantly associated with emotional dysregulation even when accounting for alexithymia, depressive symptomatology, age, and biological sex. The current study provides preliminary support for an association between low distress tolerance and emotion dysregulation in a clinical group of patients with AUD.

Entrepreneurial intention and creative performance – the role of distress tolerance

The Person-Entrepreneurship fit perspective poses that individuals are drawn to work settings that match their personal preferences, attitudes and goals. We argue that compatibility between personal attributes of individuals and their intention to become an entrepreneur is positively associated to creative (entrepreneurial) performance. While previous studies have branded trait creativity as an important personal resource for entrepreneurs, research has yet to investigate entrepreneurial intention as antecedent of entrepreneurs’ creative performance. Therefore, this two-wave study investigates the conditions under which entrepreneurial intentions of student entrepreneurs are related to their creative performance. Specifically, we investigate the three-way interaction between entrepreneurial intention, opportunity recognition and distress tolerance in determining creative performance in a sample of 142 Polish student entrepreneurs. We use Hayes’ process function for R to examine the hypothesized three-way moderation effect (Model template 3). Theoretical contributions of this study lie in (1) advancing theory on creative performance in the context of entrepreneurship, as well as (2) extending the work on Person-Entrepreneurship fit, by establishing a contingency model in which individuals aiming at entrepreneurship and having specific personal attributes may be more likely to display entrepreneurial creativity under certain conditions. Findings indicate that opportunity recognition and distress tolerance act as boundary conditions, moderating the intention-performance relationship. The relationship between entrepreneurial intention and creative performance only holds for entrepreneurs with high levels of opportunity recognition. Moreover, low distress tolerance impedes the stimulating effect of opportunity recognition on the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and creative performance.

Smoking status affects cognitive, emotional and neural-connectivity response to distress-inducing auditory feedback

BackgroundAn important motive for cigarette smoking and impediment to cessation success is the avoidance of affective distress. Low levels of distress tolerance have been linked to smoking behavior, cessation history, smoking characteristics, and risk of recurrence among people who smoke. A better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying distress sensitivity could inform approaches to help reduce avoidance of affective distress during smoking cessation. Previously among healthy participants, low distress tolerance on an MRI version of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT-M), which induces distress via negative auditory feedback, was associated with larger differences in task-based functional connectivity (TBFC) between the auditory seed region and the anterior insula. MethodsHere, we tested differences in task performance and TBFC during affective distress among people who smoke (Smoke; n = 31) and people who quit smoking (Ex-smoke; n = 31). ResultsSmoke had poorer task accuracy and reported a steeper increase in negative mood from the easy to distress blocks. Smoke had a larger difference in connectivity (distress > easy condition) between the auditory seed region and the left inferior frontal gyrus and right anterior insula. Additionally, task accuracy positively correlated with the difference in connectivity (distress > easy condition) with the left inferior frontal gyrus and the right anterior insula among Smoke but not Ex-smoke. ConclusionsThese results are consistent with the idea that people who smoke are more sensitive to cognitive-affective distress and that the inferior frontal gyrus and anterior insula play important roles in the regulation of distress.

Relations between distress tolerance and psychosocial variables in adults experiencing homelessness

ABSTRACT Distress Tolerance (DT) is a transdiagnostic factor that may help better understand vulnerability to mental health problems. This study explores DT among recently incarcerated adults experiencing homelessness (RIHAs). Participants (n = 298) were recruited from an ongoing clinical trial at a homeless shelter in Texas. Cross-sectional linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relations between DT subconstructs (tolerance, appraisal, regulation, and absorption) and psychosocial factors (depression, aggression, hostility, anxiety, and stress) in a sample of RIHAs. Lower DT absorption was associated with greater depression, aggression, hostility, anxiety, and stress. Lower DT appraisal was associated with greater hostility, anxiety, and stress. Greater DT regulation was associated with lower hostility and stress (ps<.05). DT tolerance was unrelated to any psychosocial factors. DT subscales are associated with psychosocial factors among RIHAs. Future research should assess the feasibility of interventions that enhance DT absorption and appraisal coping among RIHAs.

Distress tolerance, anxiety-related symptoms, stress, and depression among dropout and non-dropout university students: a mediation analysis.

This study explores the relationship between distress tolerance and depression with mediating role of anxiety-related symptoms and stress among dropout and non-dropout university students. This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 to December 2020. Participants' age ranged between 20-40 years. Data was collected using the Distress Tolerance Scale and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. Descriptive, t-test, and mediation analyses were performed to calculate the results. A sample of 500 respondents was recruited. A significant difference was noted between dropout and non-dropout students on CGPA (p<0.001), depression (p<.001), anxiety (p<0.001), stress (p<0.001), tolerance (p<.001), absorption (p<0.001), appraisal (p<0.001), and distress tolerance (p<0.001). Mediation analysis reveals that stress and anxiety significantly mediates between distress tolerance and depressive symptoms (i.e., F (498) = 31.14, p<0.001; F (498) =34.14, p<0.001; F (496) = 161.21, p<0.001). It is concluded that low distress tolerance increases stress and anxiety, triggering depressive symptoms.

Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences in Adulthood: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Distress Tolerance and Drinking to Cope

Background: Prior research has established that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) predict harmful alcohol use outcomes. However, underlying mechanisms that could explain these associations are less clear. The present study examined if ACEs are indirectly related to alcohol negative consequences through their associations with distress tolerance and drinking to cope. Method: A sample of 3,763 (71.9% female) college students who drink alcohol from seven countries (U.S., Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, Spain, South Africa, and England) completed online surveys. Path analysis was performed within the whole sample testing the serial unique associations between ACEs→distress tolerance→drinking to cope→negative alcohol-related consequences. Multi-group analysis was performed to determine if the proposed pathways were invariant across gender and countries. Results: Both distress tolerance and drinking to cope uniquely accounted for the relationship between ACEs and negative alcohol-related consequences. Additionally, a significant double-mediation effect was found illustrating that a higher endorsement of ACEs was associated with lower distress tolerance, which in turn was associated with higher drinking to cope, which in turn was associated with more negative alcohol-related consequences. These effects were invariant across countries and gender groups. Conclusions: These findings provide support for the relevance of distress tolerance and coping motives as potential factors in linking ACEs to problematic alcohol use across nations. Our data are consistent with the idea that intervening on distress tolerance and drinking motives could mitigate downstream alcohol-related consequences related to ACEs in college student populations around the world.