Date of Defense

4-23-2019

Date of Graduation

4-2019

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Amy Naugle

Second Advisor

Dana Goezt

Abstract

Previous research has shown that deficits in emotion regulation impair coping skills for individuals clinically diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) resembling trait anxiety, as well as those clinically diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD; Herr, Rosenthal, Geiger, & Erikson, 2013; Beeney et al., 2015; Putnam & Silk, 2005; Nielsen et al., 2017; Mennin, Heimberg, Turk, & Fresco, 2002; Marganska, Gallagher, & Miranda, 2013). The current study hypothesized that (a) the specific types of emotion dysregulation measuring lack of clarity and impulsivity would mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and BPD while the other types do not, and (b) the specific types of emotion dysregulation measuring nonacceptance of emotions, lack of strategies and lack of clarity would mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and trait anxiety while the rest do not. Participants included 152 Western Michigan University (WMU) students over the age of 18 enrolled at WMU who were recruited from lower-level classes. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) subscales measuring lack of clarity of emotions and lack of effective emotion regulation strategies significantly mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and trait anxiety, as well as attachment anxiety and BPS. Results could be used to aid future clinical treatments.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

Additional Files
Jessica Good - Defense .pdf (272 kB)
Defense Presentation
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