Citation

Hovland OJ. Anxiety Stress Coping 1995; 8(2): 161-182.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10615809508249371

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to explore the contribution of Terror Management Theory (TMT) and Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) to the explanation of severe self-defeating anxiety. Following a theoretical outline, three cardinal constructs are identified and their contribution examined in two separate empirical studies. Study 1 included 109 members of self-help clubs for people with severe anxiety problems. As expected, irrational standards and self-focused attention were concomitants of anxiety as well as independent contributors (multiple R=.714) in the prediction of anxiety. No significant interaction effect was observed. Study 2 included 36 women with severe anxiety problems, volunteering for a program in assertiveness training. As expected, self-focused attention, irrational standards and coping incapability here contributed independently (multiple R=.776) to the prediction of anxiety before entering the program. Following the program, expected decreases were observed both in irrational standards and coping incapability, the two variables explicitly targeted for change during the program. An alleviation of anxiety, which had not been explicitly targeted for change during the program, was also demonstrated. Finally, following the program, predictor variables showing these improvements seem to forfeit their initial ability to contribute independently to the prediction of a significantly decreased level of anxiety. It is concluded that the present research supports the selected constructs as cardinal constituents of self-defeating anxiety.