Socio-cognitive processes associated with bladder and bowel incontinence anxiety: A proposed bivalent model

© 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. The aim of this study was to examine whether the extended bivalent fear of evaluation model (extended BFOE) of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) could be used to explain bladder and bowel incontinence anxiety (BBIA). It was hypothesised that the relationship between dysfunctional attitudes (DAs) and BBIA would be mediated by fear of negative evaluation (FNE), fear of positive evaluation (FPE), concerns of social reprisal (CSR), and disqualification of positive social outcomes (DPSO). Three-hundred-and-seventeen undergraduate students (76.7% female; mean age = 31.07 years) completed a cross-sectional online study. A structural equation model (SEM) supported the proposed model (χ2p value =.131, CMIN/df = 1.560, CFI =.996, TLI =.990, RMSEA =.042, SRMR =.0245) with significant relationships found between DAs and FNE (p < .001), DAs and FPE (p =.002), DAs and CSR (p =.007), FNE and CSR (p <.001), FNE and DPSO (p <.001), FPE and CSR (p <.001), FPE and DPSO (p <.001), CSR and DPSO (p <.001), BBIPSS bladder and bowel with incontinence anxiety (p <.001). These results suggest that DAs, FNE, and DPSO are important contributory factors in BBIA. Given that FNE was the strongest mediator in the model, clinicians may find it advantageous to target FNE in treatment of incontinence-anxiety

Socio-cognitive processes associated with paruresis and parcopresis symptoms: a proposed bivalent model

Paruresis has been recognized as a subtype of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). A well-established model of SAD is the extended bivalent fear of evaluation model (extended BFOE) which include socio-cognitive processes such as fear of negative and positive evaluation (FNE and FPE), concerns of social reprisal (CSR), and disqualification of positive social outcomes (DPSO). In addition to the extended BFOE, dysfunctional attitudes (DAs) have also been recognized to contribute towards social anxiety symptoms and distress. The aim of this study was to examine whether an extended BFOE model for SAD could be used to explain paruresis and parcopresis symptoms. Three-hundred-and-sixteen undergraduate students (76.6% female; mean age = 31.25 years) completed a cross-sectional online study. A structural equation model (SEM) indicated the data supported the proposed model very well (χ2p value =.345, CMIN/df = 1.064, CFI = 1.00, TLI =.999, RMSEA =.014, SRMR =.0107) with significant direct relationships being found between DAs and FNE (p =.002), DAs and FPE (p =.002), FNE and CSR (p =.001), FPE and CSR (p =.001), CSR and paruresis score (p =.045), CSR and DAs (p =.006), FPE and paruresis score (p =.001), FPE and parcopresis score (p =.004), FNE and paruresis score (p =.004), and FNE and parcopresis score (p =.002). Although this research should be replicated, the current study provides evidence that DAs, FNE, FPE and CSR are important contributory factors in paruresis and parcopresis symptoms

Classification and differentiation of bladder and bowel related anxieties: a socio-cognitive exploration

The current study aimed to explore the validity of a single, self-report measure for bladder and bowel anxieties (Bladder and Bowel Anxiety Grouping Item; BABAGI), using two appropriate scales entitled the Shy Bladder and Bowel Scale (SBBS) and the Bladder and Bowel Incontinence Phobia Severity Scale (BBIPSS). This study also aimed to examine the similarities and differences in dysfunctional attitudes (DAs), fear of negative and positive evaluation (FNE and FPE), concerns of social reprisal (CSR), and disqualification of positive social outcomes (DPSO) across individuals who self-identify as having paruresis/parcopresis, incontinence anxiety, or neither condition according to the BABAGI measure. Three-hundred-and-six undergraduate students (77.1% female; mean age = 31.18 years) completed a cross-sectional, online study. The results supported the hypothesis that by using the BABAGI, self-reported paruresis/parcopresis could be reliably identified by SBBS scores of above 6.75 and that self-reported incontinence anxiety could be reliably identified by BBIPSS scores above 15.21. The results also supported the hypothesis that individuals who self-identified as having paruresis/parcopresis or incontinence anxiety would score higher in socio-cognitive processes (DAs, FNE, FPE, CSR, DPSO) compared to individuals who self-identified as having neither condition. Given that the paruresis/parcopresis and incontinence anxiety groups do not significantly differ from each other with respect to socio-cognitive processes, this suggests that both sets of conditions share similar underlying psychosocial processes