Experiential avoidance and problem behavior: a mediational analysis
Experiential avoidance and problem behavior: a mediational analysis
Despite their formal dissimilarity, problem behaviors (e.g., substance misuse, binge eating, self-harm) may share a common function. According to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this shared function is Experiential Avoidance, the process of avoiding, escaping or otherwise altering unwanted private events (e.g., thoughts, feelings, memories) and the contexts that elicit them. Structural Equation Modeling was used cross-sectionally with data from a clinical opportunity sample (N = 290) to test (a) whether problem behavior covariance was associated with experiential avoidance; and (b) whether experiential avoidance mediated the relationships between historical and dispositional risk factors (respectively, childhood trauma and negative affect intensity) and the tendency to engage in problem behaviors. Analysis showed that experiential avoidance contributed to the covariation of problem behaviors, and that it fully mediated the relationships between both risk factors and problem behavior. Thus, experiential avoidance may be a key process to target in the management of individuals with behavior problems.
experiential avoidance, childhood trauma, negative affect intensity, mediation
145-163
Kingston, Jessica.
421d847e-5075-4fda-adba-bc3ca51ec7bc
Clarke, Sue.
59361513-ceae-4852-80ff-e0dd728db3fb
Remington, Bob.
87f75b79-4207-4b3a-8ad0-a8e4b26c010f
2010
Kingston, Jessica.
421d847e-5075-4fda-adba-bc3ca51ec7bc
Clarke, Sue.
59361513-ceae-4852-80ff-e0dd728db3fb
Remington, Bob.
87f75b79-4207-4b3a-8ad0-a8e4b26c010f
Kingston, Jessica., Clarke, Sue. and Remington, Bob.
(2010)
Experiential avoidance and problem behavior: a mediational analysis.
Behavior Modification, 34 (2), .
(doi:10.1177/0145445510362575).
Abstract
Despite their formal dissimilarity, problem behaviors (e.g., substance misuse, binge eating, self-harm) may share a common function. According to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this shared function is Experiential Avoidance, the process of avoiding, escaping or otherwise altering unwanted private events (e.g., thoughts, feelings, memories) and the contexts that elicit them. Structural Equation Modeling was used cross-sectionally with data from a clinical opportunity sample (N = 290) to test (a) whether problem behavior covariance was associated with experiential avoidance; and (b) whether experiential avoidance mediated the relationships between historical and dispositional risk factors (respectively, childhood trauma and negative affect intensity) and the tendency to engage in problem behaviors. Analysis showed that experiential avoidance contributed to the covariation of problem behaviors, and that it fully mediated the relationships between both risk factors and problem behavior. Thus, experiential avoidance may be a key process to target in the management of individuals with behavior problems.
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Published date: 2010
Keywords:
experiential avoidance, childhood trauma, negative affect intensity, mediation
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Local EPrints ID: 154511
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/154511
ISSN: 0145-4455
PURE UUID: 8f3ee916-3959-4ccf-a9b7-4d4ab761b3b2
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Date deposited: 26 May 2010 13:23
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 01:34
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Author:
Jessica. Kingston
Author:
Sue. Clarke
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