Stability and change in distress tolerance and its prospective relationship with borderline personality features: A short-term longitudinal study.

Abstract

Distress tolerance (DT), or the ability to withstand psychological distress, has been proposed as a mechanism underlying multiple forms of psychopathology. However, research on DT is limited in several areas. First, stability and change of DT over time has never been assessed in adults. Second, it is unclear whether alternative conceptualizations of DT yield differences in longitudinal stability and change. Third, gender differences in DT have yet to be examined in nonclinical adult samples. And fourth, longitudinal predictive utility of DT has not been adequately assessed. The purpose of this study was to investigate these 3 questions using data collected at 3 time points over a 6-month period, examining borderline personality disorder (BPD) features as an outcome. Using 3 different measures of DT, results indicated that there is no mean level change in DT. Similarly, there was moderate rank-order stability in DT and no significant individual level change across measures. These findings suggest that DT is similar to other stable, trait-like constructs, as has been previously theorized. Next, a series of cross-lagged panel models revealed that although DT had a cross-sectional relationship with BPD features across all time points, DT did not predict BPD traits longitudinally. These findings have implications for treatments for BPD.

Behavioral Assessment of the Negative Emotion Aspect of Distress Tolerance: Tolerance to Emotional Images

“…For example, the FDS has multiple items; scores on 35 individual items are averaged for a total score, or grouped into 7-item subscales. Development of self-report scales involves psychometric analysis of internal consistency and reliability of the items (Kiselica, Webber, & Bornovalova, 2014) to assess how well the items “hang together” as indicators of one latent construct. An FDS total score should be, statistically speaking, relatively robust against measurement error or variability of individual items.…”

“…The secondary function was to examine the relationships of both behavioral tasks to self-report measures of distress tolerance and to symptoms of psychopathology (Bernstein et al, 2011; Kiselica et al, 2015). Although past work with behavioral tasks has targeted substance users (Daughters, Sargeant, Bornvolova, Gratz, & Lejuez, 2008; Kiselica et al, 2015) and people with borderline personality disorder (Bornovalova et al, 2008) or borderline features (Kiselica et al, 2014), due to our college sample, we chose to focus on more common indices of pathology. Specifically, we assessed symptoms of depression, anxiety, and problematic eating behavior, which are all associated with lower self-reported distress tolerance (Anestis et al, 2012; Bernstein et al, 2011).…”

Acute effects of cannabis on breath-holding duration.

“…Importantly, while distress intolerance is posited as a stable, trait-like construct (e.g., Kiselica et al, 2014), it is plausible that cannabis-specific contexts (acute intoxication, deprivation) may result in within-person changes in one’s ability to tolerate distress states. Data suggest that distress intolerance may be context-dependent/sensitive (e.g., Bernstein, Trafton, Ilgen, & Zvolensky, 2008; Szuhany & Otto, 2015).…”

Distress intolerance during smoking cessation treatment

“…Although measures of distress intolerance suggest that it is relatively stable (Kiselica, Webber, & Bornovalova, 2014), data also indicate that distress intolerance scores may be malleable (i.e., Bernstein, Trafton, Ilgen, & Zvolensky, 2008; Szuhany & Otto, 2015) and may be an important treatment target. Distress tolerance treatment programs have been developed for substance users to specifically cultivate distress tolerance skills and control behaviors in the context of emotional distress (Bornovalova et al, 2012; Brown et al, 2008), which are largely informed by Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993; Linehan et al, 1999) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahal, & Wilson, 1999).…”