Aversive Indecisiveness Predicts Risks for and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Over Avoidant Indecisiveness

AbstractIndecisiveness is defined as a maladaptive trait resulting in difficulty making decisions across time and situations. Indecisiveness is positively correlated with measures of anxiety, worry, and depression and has been listed as a symptom of Major Depressive Disorder for decades. Indecisiveness is also a distinguishing cognitive process associated with other disorders, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive –Compulsive Disorder, and Hoarding Disorder. Recently, indecisiveness has been found to be represented by two distinct dimensions, labeled aversive and avoidant indecisiveness. Aversive indecisiveness, represented by anticipation of negative consequences as a result of decision-making, is associat ed with behavioral inhibition and anticipated regret about decisional choices. Avoidant indecisiveness, represented by a preference for decisional delay and avoidance, is associated with a withdrawal from reinforcement. In this investigation, we assessed if aversive indecisiveness, due to its antici pation of negative consequences resulting from decisions, was more predictive of trait and cognitive risks for emotional distress as well as anxiety, depression, worry, diminished cognitive flexibility, and avoidance than avoidant indecisiveness. Using a college sample (N = 185), we found that aversive indecisiveness was uniquely predictive of neuroticism, Intolerance of Uncertainty, anxiety, depression, self-consciousness, worry, diminished cognitive flexibilit...
Source: Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research