Psychological flexibility in the context of COVID-19 adversity: Associations with distress

Emily B Kroska; Anne I Roche; Jenna L Adamowicz; Manny S Stegall

doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2020.07.011

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Psychological flexibility in the context of COVID-19 adversity: Associations with distress

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Psychological flexibility in the context of COVID-19 adversity: Associations with distress

Emily B Kroska, Anne I Roche, Jenna L Adamowicz and Manny S Stegall

Journal of contextual behavioral science, Vol.18, pp.28-33

10/2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2020.07.011

PMCID: PMC7406424

PMID: 32837889

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to hardship for individuals across the globe, and research to-date has indicated a significant impact of the pandemic on mental health functioning. In order to promote psychological resilience during this time, it is important to understand modifiable targets for clinical intervention. The current study examined demographic characteristics, pandemic-related adversity, and psychological flexibility in relation to general and peritraumatic distress in a sample of United States survey respondents during May of 2020. Participants were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), = 485. Participants completed measures of pandemic-related adversity, psychological flexibility components (openness to experience, behavioral awareness, and valued action), peritraumatic distress, and general distress. Hierarchical regression analyses examined whether demographic characteristics, pandemic-related adversity, and components of psychological flexibility were associated with general and peritraumatic distress. Results indicated that higher pandemic-related adversity, lower openness to experience, and lower behavioral awareness were significantly associated with higher general distress. Greater pandemic-related adversity, lower openness to experience, lower behavioral awareness, and higher valued action were significantly associated with higher peritraumatic distress. Adding the components of psychological flexibility to the model increased the amount of variance accounted for in both measures of distress. The results indicated that psychological flexibility components may be particularly important targets for prevention and intervention efforts in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Transdiagnostic interventions, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, that target psychological flexibility may be useful as the impact of the pandemic continues to unfold.

COVID-19

Openness

Engagement

Pandemic adversity

Distress

Awareness

Details

Title: Subtitle: Psychological flexibility in the context of COVID-19 adversity: Associations with distress
Creators: Emily B Kroska - University of Iowa, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, USA
Anne I Roche - University of Iowa, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, USA
Jenna L Adamowicz - University of Iowa, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, USA
Manny S Stegall - University of Iowa, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of contextual behavioral science, Vol.18, pp.28-33
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2020.07.011
PMID: 32837889
PMCID: PMC7406424
NLM abbreviation: J Contextual Behav Sci
ISSN: 2212-1447
eISSN: 2212-1455
Grant note: T32 GM108540 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 10/2020
Academic Unit: Neurology; Psychological and Brain Sciences
Record Identifier: 9984214742302771

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