Comparison of Psychological Hardiness and Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Students with Social Anxiety Disorder and Normal students

The aim of this study was to compare the psychological hardiness and cognitive emotion regulation in students with social anxiety disorder and normal students. The sample consisted of 301 student of the University of Tehran (250 females and 51 males) were randomly selected by classification and the appropriate allocation. Participants completed social anxiety questioner, cognitive emotion regulation questioner and psychological hardiness questioner. Then the collected data by using descriptive statistics, regression, MANOVA and ANOVA was analyzed. The results showed that the cognitive emotion regulation strategies between students with social anxiety and normal students are different. Using of the positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal on normal students are more than students with social anxiety. While students with social anxiety in relation to the catastrophizing and blaming others, have earned higher rating. Similarly, the psychological hardiness in normal students and students with social anxiety disorder, were significantly different. The same result has also been obtained for the components of psychological hardiness. In other words, the level of commitment, control and challenge in normal students and students with social anxiety were significantly different. And given the descriptive indices obtained for these two groups can be expressed. Calculated mean scores for commitment control and challenge in students with social anxiety is higher than normal students. Also, considering the importance of using cognitive emotion regulation strategies in decreasing and managing stress, especially in social conditions and environments, it is suggested to be trained to use these strategies.