Relationship between Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies and Experiential Avoidance with Death Anxiety of Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The mediating role of Coping Self-Efficac

The aim of the present study was to investigate the causal modeling of death anxiety in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder based on cognitive emotion regulation strategies and experiential avoidance with the mediating role of coping self-efficacy.

The research method was descriptive and structural equations. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all veterans with PTSD who were admitted to Isar Psychiatric Hospital in Ardabil in 2019, from which 200 people were selected by the available sampling method. Data collection tools included Templer Death Anxiety Scale, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire- a short 18-item version, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire and Coping Self-Efficacy Scale. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Based on the results, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, experiential avoidance and coping self-efficacy have a direct effect on the death anxiety in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder; also, cognitive emotion regulation strategies and experiential avoidance have an indirect effect on the death anxiety in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder through coping self-efficacy (p<0.05).

Therefore, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, experiential avoidance and coping self-efficacy play an important role in the death anxiety in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and targeting these three components by psychological therapies can be effective in reducing the death anxiety in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.