The Role of Psychological Inflexibility and Experiential Approach on Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The prevalence of mental health problems during childhood and adolescence is on the rise. There is a growing interest in the examination of personal variables that may function as risk factors and that may be targeted for effective intervention. This study explores the relationships amongst different aspects of psychological inflexibility (one, typically studied, focusing on the individual’s responding to unwanted emotions and cognitions, and another, more recently explored, focusing on the individual’s responding to desired thoughts and affective states), emotional intelligence, and mental health symptoms. A total of 129 school-going children (mean age: 11.16 years old) completed a battery of instruments comprising the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire-Youth (AFQ-Y17), the Experiential Approach Scale (EAS), the Emotional Intelligence Quotient Inventory (EQi-YV), and the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-30). Results showed that both the AFQ-Y17 score and an EAS subscale score (Anxious Clinging) were significant independent predictors of mental health symptoms in general. Emotional intelligence was predictive only for depression, and both the AFQ-Y17 and the Anxious Clinging EAS subscale significantly incremented the predictive power of a hierarchical linear regression model including all three variables. These results underscore the relevance of psychological inflexibility for child/adolescent mental health, and the need to further explore a specific aspect of inflexibility regarding positive emotions and other appetitive private events.

Attachment and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: The Mediatory Role of Emotion Awareness

“…In current societies, depressive symptoms seriously threaten adolescents’ mental health and socioemotional adjustment [ 1 ]. In this context, research about a diversity of risk factors and mechanisms for depression has been encouraged [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Therefore, this article focuses on the possible contribution of attachment and emotion awareness to depression in early to late adolescents.…”

Personality, Intervention and Psychological Treatment: Untangling and Explaining New Horizons and Perspectives

“…These studies address theoretical and practical advances on personality in different populations and age groups, as well as the research findings of interventions and treatment strategies involving personality. Of the seven original research articles and one scoping review on personality included in this Special Issue, three are focused on healthy adult populations [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], two in healthy children and adolescent [ 4 , 5 ], other two in chronic pain conditions (migraine [ 6 ] and fibromyalgia [ 7 ]) and one in personality disorders (cluster B and C [ 8 ]). The variety of conditions, populations, personality traits and research methods used in the included studies makes difficult a direct comparison of the findings but provide a wider approach to personality, intervention, and psychological treatment.…”

“…Finally, the study of Torres-Fernández et al [ 5 ] evaluated in an exploratory manner the relationships amongst different aspects of psychological inflexibility, emotional intelligence, and mental health symptoms (anxiety and depression) in school-aged children and adolescents. This was the first study exploring the experiential approach in children and adolescents.…”

“…Last, psychological inflexibility in children and adolescent has the potential to predict future mental health problems. Hence, preventive interventions (e.g., based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) aimed at enhancing psychological flexibility in healthy children and adolescent might be of benefit handling aversive private events in this population and contribute to a better psychological health and general adjustment in adulthood [ 5 ].…”