Self-Defeating Behaviour and Its Relationship with Cognitive Distortion among Jordanian People

Abstract

Introduction: Self-defeating behavior may consider as a puzzling issue outside the field of counseling and psychology. Self-defeating behavior can be toxic to our life in general socially, and professionally which can lead to our poor health mentally and physically. We may fill our minds with perceived faults and excessive self-criticisms or inferiority. This may destroy our ability to see events in our life accurately and rationally and protect ourselves from our de-evaluation. We may turn to many self-defeating behaviors. They include the feeling of inferiority, substance abuse, and excessive anxiety, the feeling of defensiveness.

Objectives: The current study aimed to explore self-defeating behavior about cognitive distortion among Jordanian people in the general population.

Methods: The sample included (398) respondents, (146 male & 252, female) who were selected based on random and available techniques, from the Jordanians' general population. Two scales were applied in this study are self-defeating scale and cognitive distortion.

Results: The results revealed that the prevalence of self-defeating behavior and cognitive distortion came within the moderate level. Significant differences were found at (0.05) regarding self–defeating behavior following the educational level variable. These differences were in favor of people who have less than a Bachelor's degree. Moreover, significant differences were found between self-defeating behavior and the age variable, in favor of 25 years or older. There were significant differences following the age variable, being in favor of 25 years or older. Significant differences were found at (0.05) level regarding cognitive distortion by the variable of educational level, in favor of people who have less than Bachelor degree. Moreover, a positive statistically significant relationship between self-defeating behavior and cognitive distortion among people was found at (0.05) level. Based on the finding of the study some recommendations were given.

Conclusions: This study revealed that the prevalence of self-defeating behavior and cognitive distortion came within the moderate level among the sample. Besides, significant differences were found between self–defeating behavior and educational level, in favor of people who have less than a Bachelor degree, Moreover, significant differences were found between self-defeating behavior and age variable, in favor of 25 years or older. Also, a positive statistically significant relationship between self-defeating behavior and cognitive distortion was found among the sample.