Final answer:
Tom Borkovec's theory of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) suggests that individuals with GAD engage in excessive and uncontrollable worry due to their beliefs and assumptions about the uncontrollability and dangerousness of their own thoughts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tom Borkovec's theory of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a cognitive theory that seeks to explain the development and maintenance of GAD. According to Borkovec, individuals with GAD engage in excessive and uncontrollable worry due to their beliefs and assumptions about the uncontrollability and dangerousness of their own thoughts. This cognitive bias leads to a cycle of worry that perpetuates anxiety. Borkovec's theory suggests that individuals with GAD have a higher intolerance for uncertainty and tend to excessively monitor potential threats, which fuels their worry. They also engage in cognitive avoidance strategies, such as distraction or thought suppression, in an attempt to reduce anxiety. However, these strategies ultimately maintain the anxiety. For example, imagine a person with GAD who worries about failing a test. They may believe that if they don't worry and obsessively prepare, they will not do well on the test. This belief leads them to engage in excessive studying and constant worry, which in turn negatively affects their mental well-being.