The Clarification of Contribution of Meta-Cognitive BelieFs in Explaining the Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Nurses

The purpose of this study was to clarify the contribution of meta-cognitive beliefs in explaining the symptoms of depression، anxiety and stress. Method of research was correlation، and the research population consisted of nurses who were employed by and working for Be’sat hospital in Hamadan. Therefore 120 nurses of this hospital were selected by the help of the method of Random sampling. Participants are surveyed using a short meta-cognitive questionnaire (MCQ-30) (Wells and Cartwright - Hutton، 2004) and a short form of depression، anxiety and stress scales (DASS-21)، (Anthony et al، 1998). In order to predict the contribution of meta-cognitive beliefs، Multivariate regression analysis was applied using stepwise and using the software SPSS 16 analysis. Results show that، among the subscales of meta-cognitive beliefs، variable of uncontrollability has a major part in explaining the symptoms of depression. Thereafter، it was needed to control the thoughts and Cognitive confidence which had the most contribution in predicting symptoms of depression. Concerning the anxiety and stress variables، uncontrollability had the most effective role in predicting the symptoms of anxiety and stress (P<0. 01). Findings of this study show that meta cognitive beliefs، especially negative beliefs associated with the uncontrollable and the need to control thoughts، are the best predictor for depression، anxiety and stress. Also، the approaches of this study support the meta-cognitive model of depression and anxiety and its role in reducing symptoms of depression، anxiety and stress.