Repetitive Negative Thinking, Emotion Dysregulation, and Insecure Attachment Disposition as Transdiagnostic Correlates of Psychological Distress among Emerging Adults

Emerging adulthood is a critical phase associated with heightened vulnerability to psychological distress. This study investigated the influences of three putative transdiagnostic factors - repetitive negative thinking, emotion dysregulation, and attachment dispositions - on psychological distress among emerging adults in Ibadan. The sample comprised 456 participants (54% female) aged 18-29 years (Mage = 23). The results indicated that both repetitive negative thinking and emotion dysregulation significantly predicted psychological distress with medium to large effect sizes. Additionally, anxious insecure attachment disposition weakly but significantly influenced psychological distress in a model including insecure attachment dimensions. These findings align with previous research, suggesting that these factors play pivotal roles in elevating psychological distress levels. Future studies should involve more diverse samples, consider additional diagnoses, and utilize designs allowing for causal inference. This study contributes to the understanding of transdiagnostic factors and their impact on psychological distress during emerging adulthood.