Self-discrepancy, Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Well-Being: The Role of Affective Style and Self-efficacy

Schlechter, Pascal; Hellmann, Jens H.; Morina, Nexhmedin

doi:10.1007/s10608-022-10314-z

Cited by 45Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychological Treatments and AssessmentsPsychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

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Self-discrepancy, Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Well-Being: The Role of Affective Style and Self-efficacy

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Schlechter, Pascal, Hellmann, Jens H., Morina, Nexhmedin·2022·Cognitive Therapy and Research

DOI 10.1007/s10608-022-10314-z

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Abstract

Abstract Background Self-discrepancy theory posits that greater discrepancy between the actual and ideal self is related to dysphoria and greater discrepancy between the actual and ought self to anxiety. Despite both being transdiagnostically associated with psychopathology, differential effects of actual:ideal and actual:ought discrepancies have not been confirmed. There is further lack of knowledge about cognitive and affective factors implicated in the relationship between self-discrepancies and depression and anxiety. We therefore examined the relationship of actual:ideal/actual:ought discrepancies with depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being, and whether affective styles (concealing, adjusting, and tolerating) and self-efficacy emerge as mediators or moderators. Methods Self-discrepancies were measured as discrepancies in the Big Five taxonomy of personality. Participants (N = 596) responded to the 10-item Big Five Inventory and ideal/ought versions of these traits, and measures of affective styles, self-efficacy, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and well-being. Results Both self-discrepancies were positively associated with depression, anxiety, and negatively with well-being, self-efficacy, tolerating and adjusting. No differential effects of the two types of discrepancy emerged. The adjusting affective style and self-efficacy partly accounted for the relationships between self-discrepancies and the outcomes. Conclusion Knowledge about affective adjustment and self-efficacy in counteracting putative negative emotional effects of self-discrepancies may inform intervention efforts.

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Anxiety and depression are empirically associated with self-discrepancy.
“Anxiety and depression are empirically associated with self-discrepancy as a concept exploring the divergence between the existent self, the ideal self, and the so-called “ought self” [144].”
From SAFEvR MentalVeRse.app: Development of a Free Immersive Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Acrophobia and Claustrophobia (2024) · cites this paper as [144]

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Authors: Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J. H., & Morina, N.
Affiliations: University of Cambridge (GB)
Bielefeld University (DE)
Corresponding author: Schlechter, Pascal
ORCID: Schlechter, Pascal
Hellmann, Jens H.
Venue: Cognitive Therapy and Research
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2022-07-07
Volume: 46
Issue: 6
Pages: 1075-1086
ISSN: 0147-5916 (ISSN-L)
1573-2819
DOI: 10.1007/s10608-022-10314-z
OpenAlex: W4284894814
Cited by: 45
References: 35
Citations by year: 2026: 16 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 1
FWCI: 6.68
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: hybrid
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (tdm)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (vor)
Locations: Cognitive Therapy and Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PUB – Publications at Bielefeld University (Bielefeld University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Apollo
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Keywords: self-discrepancy theory, ideal self, ought self, depression, anxiety, psychological well-being, affective style, self-efficacy, Big Five personality traits, emotion regulation, mediators and moderators

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Self-discrepancy, Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Well-Being: The Role of Affective Style and Self-efficacy

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