engleski

Negative automatic thoughts and anxiety as predictors of subjective quality of life

Negative automatic thoughts represent cognitive processes oriented towards undervaluing oneself, the world and the future, while anxiety refers to emotional and behavioural aspects, which adversely affect personal well- being. Both anxiety and negative automatic thoughts are present in non-depressed subjects in a less severe, but still unpleasant form. It is considered that maintaining subjective quality of life might be challenging for people who report higher frequency of automatic negative thoughts and anxiety symptoms. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between subjective quality of life, negative automatic thoughts and anxiety and to determine whether those variables with socio-demographic characteristics, predict subjective quality of life and to what extent. Gender differences were explored. The sample comprises 485 subjects who did not report any depressive or anxiety disorders. They completed Personal Wellbeing Index, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire and Zung Anxiety Self-Report Scale. Subjective quality of life negatively correlates with negative automatic thoughts and anxiety. Socio-demographic factors such as age, gender and education level did not have any noteworthy relationship with the subjective quality of life, but did have with anxiety level and frequency of negative thoughts. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that negative automatic thoughts and anxiety are significant negative predictors of subjective quality of life, after controlling socio- demographic variables. This research contributes to the better understanding of the emotion-cognition in relation to subjective quality of life. Awareness of our every-day automatic thoughts and undesirable emotional states represents the foundation for self- improvement through psychological counselling and consequently improvement of quality of life.

quality of life, anxiety, automatic negative thoughts

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