The role of Distress Tolerance in promoting Self-efficacy

Research has shown some causal links between distress tolerance and the development of self-efficacy in individuals in distress-eliciting contexts either psychologically or somatically (Leyro et al., 2010).

In the face of COVID-19 lockdowns, this brings to mind the link between tolerance of ambiguity and distress tolerance in the psychological processing of information and stimuli (Furnham & Ribchester, 1995). Measuring tolerance has to do with how difficult or frustrating tasks are managed, with the help of latent psychological resources within the individual (Lejuez et al., 2003).

It therefore appears that distress tolerance may be malleable and in the context of intervention programmes and psychotherapy, offer hope for discovering adaptive ways to manage psychological distress and ambiguity.

References

Furnham, A., & Marks, J. (1995). Tolerance of ambiguity: A review of the recent literature. Psychology, 4(9), 717-728. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/psych.2013.49102

Lejuez, C. W., Kahler, C. W., & Brown, R. A. (2003). A modified computer version of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) as a laboratory-based stressor. The Behavior Therapist, 26(4), 290-293.

Leyro, T. M., Zvolensky, M. J., & Bernstein, A. (2010). Distress tolerance and psychopathological symptoms and disorders: A review of the empirical literature among adults. Psychological Bulletin, 136(4), 576-600. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.murdoch.edu.au/10.1037/a0019712