(PS6-A21) Cognitive and Affective Transdiagnostic Variables Linked with COVID Related Anxiety

Risk of COVID infection is a major source of anxiety (American Psychiatric Association, 2021). Individuals with cognitive and affective transdiagnostic vulnerabilities frequently have elevated levels of anxiety. The purpose of this study was to examine facets of common transdiagnostic variabilities which are most strongly linked with COVID-related anxiety. The participants were recruited from a web-based panel of adults. The sample consisted of 259 participants. COVID-related anxiety was assessed by the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), a questionnaire containing 7 questions answered on a 5-point Likert scale (Ahorsu et al., 2020). The cognitive variables included thought suppression (White Bear Suppression Inventory; WBSI) and repetitive negative thinking (Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire; PTQ) (Schmidt et al., 2009; Ehring et al., 2011). The affective variables included The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) subscales (Gratz & Romer, 2004). Three multivariable linear regressions were used to examine which cognitive and affective variables were most linked with COVID-related anxiety. Cognitive variables accounted for 27% of the variance in COVID anxiety (F [2,256] = 47.32, p < .001). Both the WBSI (B = .149, SE = .039,  p < .001) and the PTQ (B = .115, SE = .040, p = .005) were significant predictors of COVID anxiety in this model. Affective variables accounted for 39.5% of the variance in COVID anxiety (F [6,252] = 27.40, p < .001). Only the nonacceptance subscale (B = .352, SE = .091, p < .001) and impulse subscale (B = .283, SE = .108,  p = .009) were significant predictors of COVID anxiety in this model. The goals, awareness, strategies, and clarity subscales of the DERS were not significantly associated with COVID anxiety (all ps > .05). The full regression model including both cognitive and affective vulnerabilities accounted for 41.7% of the variance in COVID anxiety (F [8,250] = 22.37, p < .001). The WBSI (B = .094, SE = .036, p = .010), nonacceptance subscale (B = .316, SE = .090, p < .001), and the impulse subscale (B = .322, SE = .107, p = .003) were all significant predictors of a participant’s COVID anxiety score. However, the PTQ, the goal subscale, the awareness subscale, the strategies subscale, and the clarity subscale were not significant predictors of COVID-related anxiety. A tendency to use thought suppression seems to be a particularly important risk factor for COVID anxiety. Among emotion regulation difficulties, elevated impulsivity and nonacceptance of emotion are also associated with higher COVID anxiety scores. These results suggest that clinical approaches to reduce COVID anxiety should target these important transdiagnostic risk factors.