Coping with psychosomatic symptoms: The buffering role of psychological flexibility and impact on quality of life. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Leonidou, Chrysanthi; Panayiotou, Georgia; Bati, Aspasia; Karekla, Maria
• Is Part Of: Journal of health psychology. Volume 24:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 175
• Page End: 187
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: coping -- psychological flexibility -- experiential avoidance -- psychosomatic symptoms -- health anxiety; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 613.019
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105316666657
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1053

Abstract

Individual differences in avoidant coping were hypothesized to exacerbate quality of life impairment associated with somatization and illness anxiety symptoms; psychological flexibility was expected to moderate this impairment. Individuals from a random community sample ( N = 298; 182 females), who met screening criteria for somatization and illness anxiety, reported lower quality of life and psychological flexibility and greater avoidant coping compared to controls. Psychological flexibility significantly moderated the impact of somatization and illness anxiety on quality of life domains. Findings suggest that decreasing avoidant coping through therapy may be promising in mitigating the negative impact of these symptom categories.