Short-term pain for long-term gain: the role of experiential avoidance in the relation between anxiety sensitivity and emotional distress

Abstract

Research has provided evidence of an interactive effect between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and experiential avoidance (EA) in predicting both anxiety and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptomatology. Additionally, theory suggests that EA alleviates distress in the short-term, but exacerbates it in the long-term. The present cross-sectional study was developed to replicate the noted findings and examine the interaction (EA × AS) in the context of an emotionally evocative task. It was predicted that, among high AS participants, high EA would (a) reduce the likelihood of experiencing short-term increases in negative affect following the task, and (b) increase the likelihood of anxiety and PTS symptomatology. Undergraduate participants (N=199) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and an emotionally evocative task. As predicted, positive associations were observed between AS and both anxiety and PTS symptoms, but only among high EA participants. Additionally, AS only predicted increases in negative affect following the emotionally evocative task for those with lower levels of EA, thus providing empirical evidence of the affect regulatory function of EA among those who fear anxiety-related bodily sensations. These findings help to elucidate the motives for the use of avoidance among those high in AS. Conceptual and clinical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Anxiety; Anxiety sensitivity; Experiential avoidance; Negative affect; Posttraumatic stress.