(PS10-C69) Transdiagnostic Variables in Vulnerability-stress Models: Do Transdiagnostic Variables Interact With Stress to Predict Psychopathology?

Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly comorbid, with 46% of depressed individuals also meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder, and 42% of anxious individuals also meeting criteria for a depressive disorder (Kessler et al., 2015). Theoretical accounts largely point to transdiagnostic variables to understand the mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Three commonly studied transdiagnostic variables are repetitive negative thinking, intolerance of uncertainty, and experiential avoidance. All three of these play important roles in both depression and anxiety (Arditte et al., 2016; Carleton et al., 2012; Fernandez-Rodriguez et al., 2018). However, whether these variables exist within a vulnerability-stress model remains unknown. The current study aims to investigate whether stress moderates the relationship between three commonly studied transdiagnostic variables and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

A nationally representative sample of participants (N = 153) completed self-report measures of repetitive negative thinking (Perseverative Thought Questionnaire; Ehring et al., 2011), intolerance of uncertainty (Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale; Freeston et al., 1994), and experiential avoidance (Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire; Gámez et al., 2014). Eight months later, these participants completed (a) the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (Watson et al., 1988), which orthogonally measures anxious arousal and anhedonic depression, and (b) the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1983), which inquired about levels of perceived stress over the course of the prior eight months. We conducted six moderation models using perceived stress as the moderating variable; three of these examined each of the three transdiagnostic predictors with anxious arousal as the outcome variable, and three examined each of the three transdiagnostic predictors with anhedonic depression as outcome variable.

Results indicated that perceived stress significantly moderated the relationships between all three transdiagnostic variables and anxious arousal. Higher perceived stress yielded stronger positive relationships between each transdiagnostic variable and anxious arousal, suggesting that these transdiagnostic variables may act as trait vulnerability factors that, in combination with stress, lead to the development of anxiety symptoms. Interestingly, although perceived stress was positively related to depression symptoms, perceived stress did not interact with any of the three transdiagnostic variables to predict anhedonic depression eight months later. Thus, repetitive negative thinking, intolerance of uncertainty, and experiential avoidance may act as trait vulnerabilities that interact with stress to result in anxiety pathology, but not depression. Clinical and theoretical implications will be discussed.