Implicit beliefs of emotion and anxiety in psychotherapy

Implicit theories about the malleability of emotion and anxiety (i.e., mindsets) are related to clinically relevant outcomes. However, a paucity of research in clinical samples highlights the importance of assessing the role of these mindsets in treatment. In the current study, treatment-seeking adults (N = 104, M-age = 25.29, SD = 8.42) at a university training clinic evidenced greater malleability in anxiety (but not emotion) mindset at their final treatment session as compared to their initial intake appointment. Surprisingly, neither anxiety nor emotion mindset exerted an indirect effect on the relationship between intake and final session levels of symptom distress, social role, or interpersonal functioning, while controlling for pre-treatment mindsets and session attendance. Yet, accounting for the same covariates, anxiety mindset at the final session was significantly associated with final session levels of symptom distress and social role. Findings contribute to the growing evidence regarding the relative importance of anxiety over emotion mindset in relating to clinical outcomes, while also highlighting the limitations of both mindsets in explaining treatment change.