The relationship between self-discrepancies and psychological inflexibility

Hoebeke, Yorgo;et.al.
(2019) 9th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies — Location: Berlin (17.July.2019)

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  • Hoebeke, Yorgoorcid-logoUCLouvain
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Abstract
Self-discrepancies Theory and the concept of psychological inflexibility have been widely studied. However, no studies have assessed the interactions between these concepts. This study explores these interactions with a particular attention to the different self-guides (the ideal self, the ought self, the undesired self and the un-ought-self). To this end, an online questionnaire was shared on social networks and collected responses from 410 participants. The questionnaire included a modified version of the Self-Discrepancies Scale (SD-S), a psychological inflexibility questionnaire (AAQ-II) as well as anxiety and depression questionnaires. Overall, the results show that psychological inflexibility was a mediator of the relationship between the self-discrepancies scores of the SD-S and depression and anxiety. Psychological inflexibility was also a moderator of the effect of the self-discrepancies on the distress felt in relation to these discrepancies. In addition, distress about the gap between the actual self and the ideal-self, as well as psychological inflexibility, emerged from our analyses as the most robust predictors of depression and anxiety. In conclusion, these results suggest that psychological inflexibility influences the relationship between self-discrepancies and distress about these discrepancies (moderation) and that it also explains the association of this distress with depression and anxiety (mediation). These results are promising for treatments targeting the identity and psychological inflexibility of individuals. However, this study being cross-sectional and partially exploratory, further research is needed to investigate the cause-and-effect relationships between these different concepts.
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Hoebeke, Y., & et al. (2019). The relationship between self-discrepancies and psychological inflexibility. 9th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, Berlin. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/58901