Disgust and Anxiety (2 CE)

Number of Credits: 2

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, and LMFTs

Course By: Rachel Schoor, Ph.D.

Content By: Olatunji, B. O., Armstrong, T., & Elwood, L. (2017). Is disgust proneness associated with anxiety and related disorders? A qualitative review and meta-analysis of group comparison and correlational studies. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(4), 613-648. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1745691616688879

Course Description: Previous research indicates that disgust may play an import role in determining which individuals develop certain types of anxiety disorders. The current study’s aim was to review the literature and to utilize two separate meta-analyses. One meta-analysis investigated clinical group comparisons and the other analyzed correlational studies to examine the relationship between disgust proneness to anxiety. Meta-analyses of 43 group comparison studies showed that individuals with high anxiety symptomology tended to report more disgust proneness than those who had low anxiety symptomology. This effect was not moderated by clinical versus analogue studies or type of disorder. However, there were larger group differences among individuals with high anxiety symptomology associated with contagion fears compared to individuals who had high anxiety symptomology that was not associated with contagion fears. The meta-analyses of correlational data across 83 samples demonstrated positive correlations between disgust proneness and anxiety symptomology that continued to hold after controlling for negative affect. However, after statistically controlling for disgust proneness the relationship between negative affect and anxiety symptomology was no longer statistically significant. Moderator analyses revealed that the association between disgust proneness and anxiety symptomology tended to be stronger when an individual’s anxiety symptomology was associated with contagion concerns. The implications of these results are explored in relation to the transdiagnostic model.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify 3 components of “disgust proneness”
2. Identify at least 3 aims of the current study
3. Identify at least 3 moderators and 6 results of the current study
4. Identify at least 3 weakness of the current study

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Is disgust proneness associated with anxiety and related disorders? A qualitative review and meta-analysis of group comparison and correlational studies.
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Consider the strengths and weakness of the study, as well as the implications of the findings
• Work through the post-test questions; keep in mind that answer selections should be derived from the respective article
• Return to the referenced article for any missed questions and/or to better understand the relationship between disgust proneness and anxiety symptomology