The Mediator Role of Depression and Anxiety in the Relationship between Cognitive Emotional Regulation and Self-care in Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases and requires self-care. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediator role of depression and anxiety in the relationship between cognitive emotional regulation and self-care in type 2 diabetic patients. 108 patients with type 2 diabetes (57 women, 51 males) participated in this study. The patients were selected through targeted sampling from those referring to health centers in Tehran in 2016. The participants completed the 21st-DASS Questionnaire, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and the Self-Care behaviors Questionnaire (SDSCA). Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics by using SPSS software version 16. The results of this study showed that self-care and adaptive strategies of cognitive emotional regulation with anxiety, have a significant negative correlation and there is a significant positive correlation between non-adaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation and anxiety (P<0.01). The results of path analysis also indicated the mediator role of anxiety in the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and self-care in patients with type 2 diabetes. According to the result, in the field of self-care in diabetic patients, it is necessary to consider psychological interventions to regulate emotions and reduce depression and anxiety.