Prediction of Psychological Distress based on Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Adaptive Strategies in Mothers of Children with Thalassemia

Thalassemia is a chronic childhood illness that can negatively affect the psychological well-being and life quality of the children and their families. This study was conducted to predict the psychological distress based on cognitive emotion regulation and adaptive strategies in the mothers of children with thalassemia.

This study was descriptive- correlational research. The study population included the mothers of children with thalassemia in Tehran. 250 of these mothers them were selected by convenience sampling method as the study sample. Data were collected by Lovibond’s Psychological Distress Scale (1995), Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale (Garnefski, 2001) and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (Lazarus, 1974). Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and multiple regression.

The results of the data analysis indicated a significant and positive effect of negative emotion regulation strategies on anxiety (0.14) and the negative significant effect of positive emotion regulation strategies on depression (-0.25) and anxiety (-0.23). Also, adaptive strategies were effective on psychological distress. The effect of emotion-focused strategy on anxiety (0.23) and stress (0.19) were positively significant, while the effect of problem-focused adaptive strategies on depression (-0.18) and stress (-0.2) was negatively significant (P<0.01). 

The cognitive emotion regulation strategies and adaptive strategies affected the psychological distress among mothers of children with thalassemia. The implications of the results are discussed in the paper.