Date of Award
12-1-2014
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
DiLalla, David
Abstract
Recent research has demonstrated the importance of examining the relationships between personality and psychopathology (Krueger & Tackett, 2006). The present investigation sought to further develop this literature. More specifically, the following study examined the links between neuroticism, experiential avoidance, and worry. The focus of the current study was to replicate and extend previous findings on neuroticism, experiential avoidance, and worry. In addition, a novel mediational model was tested to determine if experiential avoidance is the pathway through which the relationship between neuroticism and worry is transmitted. Results of the study regarding the primary hypotheses were mixed. While experiential avoidance, worry, and neuroticism were all positively correlated as predicted, experiential avoidance did not predict worry after controlling for neuroticism. In addition, experiential avoidance was not found to mediate the relationship between neuroticism and worry. Supplementary analyses found that anxiety, stress, depression, worry, and experiential avoidance were all significantly positively correlated with one another. In addition, it was found that experiential avoidance increased the prediction of a worry after controlling for the effects of anxiety, stress, and depression, and experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between anxiety and worry. Clinical and theoretical implications, strengths and limitations, and future directions for research are discussed.
Access
This dissertation is only available for download to the SIUC community. Current SIUC affiliates may also access this paper off campus by searching Dissertations & Theses @ Southern Illinois University Carbondale from ProQuest. Others should contact the interlibrary loan department of your local library or contact ProQuest's Dissertation Express service.