BIS and its relation to psychological distress: An explanation of balanced time perspective

Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) is an emotion system that regulates one's reactiveness to cues of punishment, non-reward, and novelty. Although BIS and its association to anxiety and depression is known in literature, BIS is not enough to explain their occurrence by itself. The current study used Zimbardo's Time Perspective (TP) Theory which has been shown to be significantly associated with BIS before, to explain this pathway. Zimbardo's TP explains how people classify their experiences into different time contexts as past, present, and future, giving them unity and meaning. Balanced Time Perspective (BTP) is a construct that proposes that the optimum way of using these time perspectives adaptively according to situational demands. Deviation from a Balanced Time Perspective (DBTP) is associated with various detrimental psychological outcomes. Current study aimed to explain the role of DBTP in the relationship between BIS and depression and anxiety. To further understand the association between BIS and DBTP, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance was investigated as moderators. A sample of 378 (Female 74.3%, M= 33.18, SD = 12.16) participants participated in the study. The participants were presented with measures of BIS scale of BIS/BAS scales, Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, Zimbardo's Time Perspective Inventory, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The results indicated support for the significant mediator role of DBTP between BIS and depression/anxiety. Although the moderator role of attachment anxiety and avoidance between BIS and DBTP was not supported, we found evidence for additive effect of both BIS and attachment anxiety on DBTP.