Generalized anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction

The mediator role of repetitive negative thinking

Authors

  • Maria Manuela Peixoto Center for Psychology at University of Porto, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
  • Vera Ribeiro Institute of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Universidade Lusíada, Porto, Portugal.
  • Olga Cunha HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab, Universidade Lusófona do Porto, Porto, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_66_5

Keywords:

generalized anxiety, life satisfaction, mediation, repetitive negative thinking

Abstract

This study examines the mediating role of repetitive negative thinking in the relationship between generalized anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction. A web survey was administered to 857 participants (365 men) who filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Persistent and Intrusive Negative Thoughts Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Then, participants were divided into four groups according to levels of symptomatology. The results showed that scores for repetitive negative thinking increased due to the severity of generalized anxiety symptoms. For life satisfaction, individuals without generalized anxiety symptoms scored significantly higher than individuals with generalized anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, repetitive negative thinking mediates and explains over 54% of the relationship between generalized anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction when controlling for age, sex, clinical diagnosis, and current psychiatric medication. Overall, the current findings highlight the central role of repetitive negative thinking in the relationship between generalized anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction and reinforce a transdiagnostic process in the maintenance of anxiety symptomatology and well-being impairment. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2023-11-07

How to Cite

Peixoto, M. M., Ribeiro, V., & Cunha, O. (2023). Generalized anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction: The mediator role of repetitive negative thinking. Psychologica, 66, e066005. https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_66_5

Issue

Vol. 66 (2023)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Maria Manuela Peixoto, Vera Ribeiro, Olga Cunha

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows sharing the work with recognition of authorship and initial publication in Antropologia Portuguesa journal.