Let it be: Accepting negative emotional experiences predicts decreased negative affect and depressive symptoms

Abstract

The present studies examined whether a tendency to accept negative emotional experiences buffers individuals from experiencing elevated negative affect during negative emotional situations (Study 1) and from developing depressive symptoms in the face of life stress (Study 2). Both studies examined female samples. This research expands on existing acceptance research in four ways. First, it examined whether acceptance has beneficial correlates when it matters most: in emotionally taxing (versus more neutral) contexts. Second, in Study 2 a prospective design was used in which acceptance was measured before stress was encountered and before outcomes were measured. Third, depressive symptoms (rather than general functioning or trauma symptoms) were examined as a particularly relevant outcome in the context of stress. Fourth, to enhance generalizability, a community sample (versus undergraduates or a purely clinical sample) was recruited. Results indicated that acceptance was correlated with decreased negative affect during a negative emotion induction but not an affectively neutral condition (Study 1). In Study 2, acceptance interacted with life stress such that acceptance predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms after higher, but not lower, life stress. These results suggest that accepting negative experiences may protect individuals from experiencing negative affect and from developing depressive symptoms. KeywordsAcceptance; Negative affect; Stress; Depressive symptoms Individuals frequently attempt to avoid unpleasant feelings when faced with stressful situations (Averill, O'Brien, & DeWitt, 1977;Averill & Rosenn, 1972;Folkman & Lazarus, 1980;Roemer, Litz, Orsillo, &Wagner, 2001). While this approach may seem intuitively appealing, mindfulness and acceptance-based theories as well as recent evidence suggest that it might not be helpful. In fact, it might even be harmful in that, paradoxically, accepting (versus avoiding) negative emotions may be associated with lower levels of negative affect (Campbell-Sills, Barlow, Brown, & Hofmann, 2006a;Kashdan, Barrios, Forsyth, & Steger, 2006) and decreased depressive symptoms (Kashdan, Morina, & Priebe, 2009).The present research examines this hypothesis. Theoretical considerations as well as empirical evidence that support that acceptance has beneficial effects are reviewed. Limitations of the relevant literature are highlighted, and two empirical studies are presented that were aimed at addressing these limitations. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptThe beneficial effects of accepting negative emotional experiences Experiential acceptance is conceptualized as a willingness to non-judgmentally remain in contact with aversive experiences, including negative emotions (Hayes, Wilson, Gifford, Follette, & Strosahl, 1996). Acceptance falls on a continuum with experiential avoidance, with higher levels of experiential avoidance reflecting less willingness to experience negative emotions (Boelen & Reijntjes, 2008;Hayes, Jacob...

Emotion regulation mediates the effect of childhood trauma on depression

“…In the ACE model, the emotion regulation skills of acceptance, tolerance, and modification of aversive emotions are assumed to be the most relevant for mental health, whereas the other emotion regulation skills are primarily included in the model because they are hypothesized to play a facilitating role in the successful application of the three aforementioned skills (Berking and Whitley, 2014). Our findings that awareness, acceptance, and tolerance mediated the effect of childhood trauma on subsequent depression match with previous conclusions on the relevance of these skills for the onset and maintenance of depression Radkovsky et al, 2014;Shallcross et al, 2010). The strong effect of the emotion regulation skill willingness to confront can be understood by a well-known mechanism.…”

Effects of a Mindfulness Meditation App on Subjective Well-Being: Active Randomized Controlled Trial and Experience Sampling Study (Preprint)

“…These findings are consistent with a broader literature in which dispositional acceptance has been associated with reduced experiential avoidance [15][16][17], decreased negative affect, and reduced stress reactivity [60,61]. At the state level, brief mindfulness interventions have been linked to beneficial effects on stress and mood [24,35].…”

Implicit theories of emotion shape regulation of negative affect

“…Even though some evidence suggests potential short-term benefits (Wegner & Gold, 1995), the majority of studies examining the effects of experiential avoidance on subsequent negative affect found that avoidance backfires by increasing negative affect, especially in non-clinical samples. For example, students high in avoidance of negative affect reported higher negative affect when watching an aversive film clip compared to students low in avoidance (Shallcross et al, 2010, Study 1, see also Eifert & Heffner, 2003;Feldner et al, 2003, Levitt et al, 2004. Based on these results, we expected that the more students endorsed an entity view of emotion the more negative affect they would experience after an aversive event, potentially by using experiential avoidance throughout the aversive event.…”

“…Avoiding negative affect, as we suspect entity theorists to do, leads to poor affective outcomes over time (Plump, Orsillo & Luterek, IMPLICIT THEORIES 5 2004;Shaar & Herr, 2011;Shallcross, Troy, Boland, & Mauss, 2010). For instance, the tendency to avoid negative affect-measured before a negative life event-predicts greater psychological distress after the negative life event as well as the subsequent development of depressive symptoms (Shallcross, Troy, Boland, & Mauss, 2010, Study 2;Shahar & Herr, 2011).…”