The role of emotion regulation deficits, thought-action fusion and behavioral inhibition in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is affected by different emotional, cognitive and natural factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of emotional regulation deficits, thought-action fusion and behavioral inhibition in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This research is a correlational study and the sample included 120 patients with GAD selected from patients referring to four psychiatry centers in Shiraz using availability sampling. Instruments used for data collection included Cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ), Thought Fusion Instrument (TFI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BDI), retrospective and adults Measures of Behavioral Inhibition (RMBI, AMBI), and the 20-item Toronto alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Data was analyzed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis method. Results showed that there was a significant relationship between difficulty in describing and identifying emotions, mal-adaptive emotion regulation strategies, thought-action fusion and childhood behavioral inhibition with GAD (p<0.01). Also, stepwise regression analysis showed that difficulty in identifying emotions, ma-ladaptive emotion regulation, thought-action fusion and childhood behavioral inhibition were the best predictors for GAD respectively. Discussion & Given the role of emotion regulation deficits, thought-action fusion and childhood behavioral inhibition in GAD, the prevention and treatment programs for GAD should take these variables into account.