Self-efficacy effects on symptom experiences in daily life and early treatment success in anxiety patients
Journal
Clinical Psychological Science
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2025
Author(s)
Christina Paersch
;
Dominique Recher
;
Ava Schulz
;
Heininger Mirka
;
Barbara Schlup
;
Florian Künzler
;
Stephanie Homan
;
;
Aaron Fisher
;
Andrea B. Horn
;
Birgit Kleim
Abstract
Self-efficacy is a key construct in behavioral science affecting mental health and psychopathology. Here, we expand on previously demonstrated between-persons self-efficacy effects. We prompted 66 patients five times daily for 14 days before starting cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to provide avoidance, hope, and perceived psychophysiological-arousal ratings. Multilevel logistic regression analyses confirmed self-efficacy’s significant effects on avoidance in daily life (odds ratio [OR] = 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.34, 0.84], p = .008) and interaction effects with anxiety in predicting perceived psychophysiological arousal (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = [0.62, 1.00], p = .046) and hope (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = [1.03, 1.42], p = .02). More self-efficacious patients also reported greater anxiety-symptom reduction early in treatment. Our findings assign a key role to self-efficacy for daily anxiety-symptom experiences and for early CBT success. Self-efficacy interventions delivered in patients’ daily lives could help improve treatment outcome.
Language
English
Refereed
Yes
Division(s)