The Interactive Effect of Attention to Emotions and Emotional Distress Intolerance on Anxiety and Depression

Emotional distress intolerance (EDI) has been identified as a risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders. One factor that may influence the association between EDI and psychopathology is attention to emotions (AE). Recent evidence suggests that AE may encompass two dissociable components: voluntary and involuntary AE. This study aimed to examine the moderating role of both voluntary and involuntary AE in the association between EDI and psychological symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression) in a sample of 955 community adults. We hypothesized that voluntary AE would buffer, and involuntary AE would enhance, the association between EDI and psychological symptoms. In partial support of our hypotheses, involuntary, but not voluntary, AE moderated the relationship between EDI and both symptom outcomes such that the positive associations between EDI and psychological symptoms were significantly stronger at higher, versus lower, levels of involuntary AE. Thus, individuals with relatively higher EDI and involuntary AE may be at particularly high risk for experiencing anxiety and depression. Clinical implications are discussed.