Investigating the Relationship between Metacognitive Beliefs and Cognitive-Attentional Syndrome with Social Anxiety of Female Students: The Mediating Role of Uncertainty Intolerance and Ambiguity Tolerance

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of metacognitive beliefs and cognitive-attentional symptoms in predicting social anxiety of female students through mediation of uncertainty intolerance and ambiguity tolerance.

The method of the present study was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the study consisted of all female students studying at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2018-19 from which 200 students were selected as the research sample using convenience sampling method. Research instruments included Watson and Friend Social Anxiety Scale, Carlton Uncertainty Intolerance Scale, McLean Ambiguity Tolerance Scale, Cognitive-Attention Syndrome Scale, and the Wells Metacognition Questionnaire.

Path analysis was used to analyze the data and the results showed that cognitive-attention syndrome has a positive and significant effect on the symptoms of social anxiety in female students. Also, a positive and significant effect was observed between metacognitive beliefs and social anxiety. The results showed that considering intolerance of uncertainty, tolerance of ambiguity, cognitive-attention syndrome and metacognitive beliefs in educational programs and psychological interventions are effective in preventing, reducing and treating emotional disorders.