(PS3-A14) Associations Among Experiential Avoidance, Positive Affect, and Reward Responsivity

Experiential Avoidance (EA) has been conceptualized to include behaviors that serve an avoidant function to negative affective states and has been strongly associated with measures of psychopathology (Hayes et al., 1996; Chawla & Ostafin, 2007). However, it remains unknown and in what manner EA is associated with transdiagnostic higher-order constructs of positive affect (PA) as well as negative affect (NA). Anhedonia (depression symptom reflecting low PA) has been associated with EA, altered positive emotional reactivity, and impairments in reward system functioning (anticipatory and consummatory reward responsivity). Initial research has suggested that EA may diminish reward responsiveness and thus may lead to global decrements in PA. This study investigated whether baseline EA (conceptualized as related to both positive and negative emotional states) predicts NA, PA, and reward responsivity across a week and whether increases in EA across a week predicts subsequent changes in NA, PA, and reward responsivity.

121 undergraduate students completed baseline questionnaires assessing depression (Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale [DASS-D]) and EA (Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire [BEAQ]). Participants then completed daily diary questionnaires assessing anticipatory (ARR) and consummatory (CRR) reward responsivity, NA, PA, and EA. Linear mixed models (LMM) were conducted to explore whether baseline EA predicts elevated NA, diminished PA, and decreased ARR and CRR across the daily diary paradigm. Additionally, a multilevel regression analysis was conducted to examine whether alterations in EA across the week was associated with NA, PA, ARR, and CRR across the week.

After controlling for depression, baseline EA predicted increased levels of NA (β = .06 t (372.95) = 4.65, p < .001) and decreased levels of PA (β = -.04, t (386.68) = -3.50, p < .001) across 7 days. Baseline EA also predicted decreased ARR (β = -.01, t (427.63) = -2.70, p < .05) and CRR (β = -.01, t (481.45) = -2.64, p < .05) across the one-week paradigm, while controlling for depression symptoms. Analyses also found that increases in EA throughout the week predicted subsequent changes in NA (β = .16, t(1889.18) = 16.61, p < .001), PA (β = -.04, t(1980.16) = -3.98 , p < .001), and CRR (β = -.01 , t(1615.79) = -2.55 , p < .05).

Findings demonstrate significant associations between EA and both negative and positive affect, supporting EA as a potential construct of clinical significance for disorders marked by low affect. Results also generally support a relationship between EA and reward responsivity, specifically with CRR. Future research should examine the mechanisms through which these associations occur.