Validation française de l’échelle de frustration et d’inconfort (Frustration Discomfort Scale)

Investigating the relationship between the five-factor model of distress tolerance, anxiety and anxiety sensitivity

BACKGROUND

Distress tolerance (DT) has been conceptualized as a vulnerability factor for several psychopathologies. A five factor model of DT has been suggested, but its associations with anxiety and anxiety sensitivity have yet to be explored.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to further validate the five-factor model of DT, identify the associations between its factors and elevated anxiety, and assess if anxiety sensitivity mediates the association between DT and anxiety.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This observational study included 330 students and university workers (women = 82.7%; mean age = 27.7 years, SD = 9.4). They completed online questionnaires assessing DT, anxiety sensitivity and anxiety levels.

RESULTS

The five-factor model was a good fit to the data (RMSEA = .04). Two factors, and the sex of the participants, contributed to the variance in anxiety (r2 = .418, p < .001). Tolerance of negative emotion was directly (β = -1.98, 95% CI = [-2.53, -1.42]) and indirectly (β = -1.10, 95% CI = [-1.55, -.78]) associated with lower anxiety through anxiety sensitivity. Tolerance of uncertainty was also directly (β = -.08, 95% CI = [-.10, -.06]) and indirectly (β = -.04, 95% CI = [-.05, -.02]) associated with lower anxiety through anxiety sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Tolerance of negative emotion and uncertainty were associated with anxiety independently of the other factors of DT. These associations seem partially explained by the effect of anxiety sensitivity.

Examining frustration intolerance beliefs among adults with dyslexia or developmental coordination disorder

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that adults diagnosed with specific learning disorders, such as dyslexia or developmental coordination disorder (DCD), are at greater risk of emotional problems related to frustration and anger.

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to investigate patterns of frustration intolerance beliefs among two groups of adults with a specific learning disorder (dyslexia or DCD), compared with typical adults.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Participants were 235 French adults (students or in employment) with dyslexia (M_age = 35.8 years, SD = 13.3; females = 63 %), DCD (M_age = 32.9 years, SD = 11.8; females = 58 %) or typical development (M_age = 33.2 years, SD = 12.7; females = 65 %), who completed an online self-report questionnaire.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Analysis of variance revealed a significant between-groups difference, as both learning disorder groups had higher frustration intolerance beliefs than the typical adults. Post hoc analysis showed that participants with DCD scored higher than those with dyslexia on each type of frustration intolerance belief, while participants with dyslexia scored higher than typical adults on achievement frustration and discomfort intolerance.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

These results underline the usefulness of distinguishing between frustration intolerance dimensions, and of using rational emotive behavior therapy to reduce the irrational beliefs of people with DCD or dyslexia.

The Epidemiology of Bruxism in Relation to Psychological Factors

The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of sleep/awake bruxism among young students in Transylvania and to correlate the presence of this muscle activity with behavioral variations. This analytical, observational, cohort, cross-sectional, and prospective study involved 308 volunteers aged between 19 and 30 years of different nationalities, all students of the “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Subjects were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire which was structured in five sections. The results obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed separately for sleep bruxism and for awake bruxism. We did not find any statistically significant correlation between awake bruxism or sleep bruxism and age (p = 0.30 and p = 0.37, respectively), sex (p = 0.44 and p = 0.48, respectively), or nationality (p = 0.55 and p = 0.67, respectively). Only a high degree of stress and frustration (p = 0.035 and p = 0.020) was observed in European subjects except for the Romanians and the French, likely related to the difficulties of adapting to the language and lifestyle in Romania. Female sex was statistically significantly associated with an increased level of stress (p = 0.004), duty-related depression (p = 0.006), and duty-related anxiety (p = 0.003). Stress and anxiety can be favorable factors in the appearance of both types of bruxism; however, depression is associated only with awake bruxism.

[Distress tolerance and experience of chronic pain]

INTRODUCTION

Chronic pain is a highly prevalent condition that is associated with distressing somatic and emotional experiences. Consequently, an individual's distress tolerance, the perceived capacity to tolerate negative psychological and physical states, may influence their pain experience. This effect could be explained in part by a reduction in the catastrophic interpretation of pain which is associated with increased pain intensity and interference in everyday activities.

AIMS

The first aim of this study was to explore the association between the components of the 5-factor model of distress tolerance and (1) pain intensity and (2) pain interference in everyday activities. The secondary aim was to assess the potential mediating effect of pain catastrophizing in the eventual association between components of distress tolerance and (1) pain intensity or (2) pain interference in everyday activities.

METHOD

This is a cross-sectional study of adult (18 years or older) university students and staff with chronic pain (3 months). They were invited to complete the online questionnaire through an email invitation. Pain intensity and interference in everyday functioning were assessed with the corresponding subscales of the Brief Pain Inventory. The following instruments were used to assess the components of the 5-factor model of distress tolerance: Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (tolerance to ambiguity), Intolerance to Uncertainty Scale (reversed score: tolerance to uncertainty), Discomfort Intolerance Scale (reversed score: discomfort tolerance), Distress Tolerance Scale (tolerance to negative emotions), Frustration Discomfort Scale (tolerance to frustration). Participants also completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale.

RESULTS

Eighty participants were recruited (57 % women, mean age=33.09; standard deviation=12,87). Tolerance to negative emotions was the only component of distress tolerance that was associated with pain (ß=-0.04; 95% CI): -0.07--0.01; t (78)=-3.06, p<0.01) or pain interference in everyday functioning (ß=-0.07; 95% CI: -0.10--0.03; t (78)=-3.97, p<0.01), independently of the others. Combined with age, these factors explained 16.2 % of the variance in pain intensity and 19.4 % of the variance in pain interference. Pain catastrophizing partially mediated the association between tolerance to negative emotions and pain interference in everyday functioning, but it was not involved in the association between tolerance to negative emotions and pain intensity.

CONCLUSION

Tolerance to negative emotions appears to be the most relevant aspect of distress tolerance in the context of chronic pain and is a potential clinical target that is independent and complementary from pain catastrophizing.

Relationships between frustration intolerance beliefs, cognitive emotion regulation strategies and burnout among geriatric nurses and care assistants

The purpose of this study was to address cognitive emotional factors (frustration intolerance beliefs, cognitive emotion regulation strategies) related to burnout among professionals caring for older persons. A sample of 202 nurses and care assistants for older people completed online questionnaires about their cognitive emotion regulation strategies, frustration intolerance beliefs, and burnout. Use of maladaptive strategies, especially self-blame and catastrophizing, predicted greater emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Adaptive strategy use, such as refocusing on planning and positive reappraisal, was found to be linked to both lower emotional exhaustion and higher personal accomplishment. Frustration intolerance beliefs appeared to be closely associated with the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization dimensions of burnout, with higher frustration intolerance beliefs indicating a high risk of depersonalization. The present findings have several practical implications for reducing nurses' burnout based on cognitive behavioral therapy approaches, such as rational emotive behavior or mindfulness therapies.

A Reduction in Pain Intensity Is More Strongly Associated With Improved Physical Functioning in Frustration Tolerant Individuals: A Longitudinal Moderation Study in Chronic Pain Patients

OBJECTIVE

The onset and chronification of pain often has devastating consequences on the physical and mental functioning of individuals. Medical interventions are quite efficacious in reducing pain levels. However, changes in physical and mental health status after medical interventions are not proportional. In the past decades, rational/irrational beliefs, especially catastrophizing, have contributed to a better understanding of the pain experience. This study explores whether pain reduction efforts are more beneficial for individuals scoring high in rational thinking (moderation).

METHODS

The study design was longitudinal. Patients were assessed twice, 2 weeks prior to the start of medical treatment at the pain clinic and 6 months after. A total of 163 patients with heterogeneous pain (mostly low back and neck pain) participated in the study. Their mean age was 58.74 years (SD = 14.28) and 61.3% were female.

RESULTS

Overall, there was a reduction in pain intensity (t = 4.25, p < 0.001, d = 0.32). An improvement in physical functioning (t = 4.02, p < 0.001, d = 0.19), but not mental health (t = -0.66, p = 0.511, d = 0.11) was also observed. In the regression analyses, a decrease in pain intensity was moderately associated with improved physical health (β = 0.87, t = 4.96, p < 0.001, R 2 change = 0.177). This association was found to be moderated by frustration tolerance (β = -0.49, t = -2.80, p = 0.006, R 2 change = 0.039). Specifically, post hoc analyses indicated that changes in pain intensity only correlated with changes in physical health when patients reported high frustration tolerance levels (r = 0.47, p = 0.006, M = 7, n = 32), but not when patients were intolerant to frustration (r = 0.28, p = 0.078, M = 17, n = 41).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that frustration tolerance may render adaptive by facilitating the positive effect that a reduction in pain intensity has on physical health status. The study findings are discussed in the context of personalized therapy with an emphasis on how to maximize the effectiveness of current interventions for pain.

Work Addiction Test Questionnaire to Assess Workaholism: Validation of French Version

BACKGROUND

Work addiction is a significant public health problem with a growing prevalence. The Work Addiction Risk Test (WART) is the gold standard questionnaire to detect workaholism.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study was to validate the French version of the WART.

METHODS

Questionnaires were proposed to voluntary French workers using the WittyFit software. There were no exclusion criteria. The questionnaire was administered anonymously for initial validity testing and readministered one week later for test-retest reliability. We also assessed the workers' sociodemographic characteristics, as well as other measurements for external validity, such as stress, well-being, and coaddictions to tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis. Several psychometric properties of the French-WART were explored: acceptability, reliability (internal consistency [Cronbach alpha coefficient] and reproducibility [Lin concordance coefficient]), construct validity (correlation coefficients and principal component analysis), and external validity (correlation coefficients).

RESULTS

Among the 1580 workers using WittyFit, 187 (11.83%) agreed to complete the WART questionnaire. Of those, 128 completed the test-retest survey (68.4%). Acceptability found that all respondents had fully completed the questionnaire, with few floor or ceiling effects. Reliability was very good with a Cronbach alpha coefficient at .90 (internal consistency) and Lin concordance coefficient at .90 (95% CI .87-.94] with a difference on the retest of .04 (SD 4.9) (95% CI -9.6 to 9.7) (reproducibility). We identified three main dimensions (construct validity). Relationships between WART and stress and well-being confirmed its external validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The French version of the WART is a valid and reliable instrument to assess work addiction with satisfactory psychometric properties. Used in occupational medicine, this tool would allow the diagnosis of work addiction and can be easily implemented in current practice.