ABSTRACT

The current study examined the moderating effects of different types of coping styles between self-discrepancy and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). Participants consisted of 143 university students who completed measures of self-discrepancy, coping styles, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The present research partially replicated previous findings of the unique relations between different types of self-discrepancies and specific psychological distress. Actual-ideal discrepancy uniquely and positively related to depressive symptoms, and actual-ought discrepancy positively related to both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Regarding the moderating role of coping, task-oriented coping buffered the relation between actual-ideal self-discrepancy and depressive symptoms. Avoidance-oriented coping buffered the relation between actual-ideal self-discrepancy and depressive symptoms, while it amplified the relation between actual-ought self-discrepancy and anxiety. The findings extend the literature on self-discrepancy theory by informing how coping styles play a role in the relation between self-discrepancy and psychological distress. Clinicians can use the findings by targeting coping styles for clients who suffer from anxiety or depressive symptoms caused by self-discrepancy.

摘要

目前的研究检验了不同类型的应对方式在自我差异和心理困扰（即焦虑和抑郁症状）之间的调节作用。参与者由 143 名大学生组成，他们完成了自我差异、应对方式、焦虑和抑郁症状的测量。本研究部分复制了先前关于不同类型的自我差异与特定心理困扰之间独特关系的发现。实际-理想差异与抑郁症状唯一且正相关，而实际-应该差异与焦虑和抑郁症状正相关。关于应对的调节作用，以任务为导向的应对缓冲了现实-理想自我差异与抑郁症状之间的关系。回避型应对缓冲了实际-理想自我差异与抑郁症状之间的关系，同时放大了实际-应该自我差异与焦虑之间的关系。这些发现通过告知应对方式如何在自我差异和心理困扰之间的关系中发挥作用，扩展了关于自我差异理论的文献。临床医生可以通过针对因自我差异引起的焦虑或抑郁症状的客户的应对方式来利用这些发现。