A multi-method analysis of distress tolerance in body dysmorphic disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Distress tolerance (DT) is a transdiagnostic construct associated with various psychiatric disorders.
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by preoccupation with perceived flaws in appearance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between distress tolerance and body dysmorphic disorder.
• To examine if low distress tolerance is a vulnerability factor for BDD.

Main Methods:

• Three studies were conducted using diverse methodologies.
• Study 1: Adult community sample (N=81) assessed DT and BDD symptoms.
• Study 2: Student sample (N=192) evaluated DT, BDD symptoms, and tolerance to mood induction tasks (anger, sadness, fear).
• Study 3: Clinical sample (N=40) with BDD compared DT to healthy controls (N=36).

Main Results:

• A significant relationship was found between low DT and more severe BDD symptoms in both community and student samples.
• Greater BDD symptoms were uniquely associated with lower self-reported tolerance for anger and sadness mood induction, but not fear.
• Individuals with BDD in the clinical sample reported significantly lower DT compared to healthy controls.

Conclusions:

• Low distress tolerance is a significant vulnerability factor associated with body dysmorphic disorder.
• Findings suggest that impaired ability to tolerate distress may contribute to the development or maintenance of BDD.
• Interventions targeting distress tolerance may be beneficial for individuals with BDD.