The associations between interoceptive awareness, emotion regulation, acceptance, and well-being in patients receiving multicomponent treatment: a dynamic panel network model

Adam Klocek; Tomáš Řiháček

doi:10.4081/ripppo.2023.659

Authors

Adam Klocek

aklocek.ak@gmail.com

Psychology Research Institute; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.

Tomáš Řiháček

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5893-9289

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.

Mechanisms of change represent the cornerstone of the therapeutic process. This study aimed to investigate how network models could be used to test mechanisms of change at a group level. A secondary aim was to investigate which of the several hypothesized mechanisms (emotion regulation, interoceptive awareness, and acceptance) are related to changes in psychological well-being. The sample comprised adult patients suffering from psychological disorders (N=444; 70% women) from 7 clinical sites in the Czech Republic who were undergoing groupbased multicomponent treatment composed mainly of psychodynamic psychotherapy (lasting from 4 to 12 weeks depending on the clinical site). Data were collected weekly using the multidimensional assessment of interoceptive awareness, emotion regulation skills questionnaire, chronic pain acceptance questionnaire-symptoms and outcome rating scale. A lag-1 longitudinal network model was employed for exploratory analysis of the panel data. The pruned final model demonstrated a satisfactory fit. Three networks were computed, i.e., temporal, contemporaneous, and between-person networks. The most central node was the modification of negative emotions. Mechanisms that were positively associated with well-being included modification, readiness to confront negative emotions, activity engagement, and trust in bodily signals. Acceptance of negative emotions showed a negative association with well-being. Moreover, noticing bodily sensations, not worrying, and self-regulation contributed indirectly to changes in well-being. In conclusion, the use of network methodology to model panel data helped generate novel hypotheses for future research and practice; for instance, well-being could be actively contributing to other mechanisms, not just a passive outcome.

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Supporting Agencies

this study was funded by the Internal Grant Agency of Masaryk University, grant no. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/19_073/ 0016943. Data collection was funded by the Czech Science Foundation, grant no. GA18-08512S

How to Cite

Klocek, A., & Řiháček, T. (2023). The associations between interoceptive awareness, emotion regulation, acceptance, and well-being in patients receiving multicomponent treatment: a dynamic panel network model. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 26(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2023.659

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