The Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Mindfulness in the Relationship Between Worry and Generalized Anxiety

Various research studies have investigated the relationship between anxiety and worry. The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation and mindfulness in the relationship between anxiety and worry.

The present study follows a correlational design study. The research sample included 248 students of Kashan universities in Iran studying in the 2017-2018 academic year. The study data were collected using the generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Pennsylvania state worry questionnaire (PSWQ), the Persian short form of cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ-P-short form), and five-factor mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ). Then, the obtained data were analyzed using the SPSS v. 22 and AMOS v. 22 software.

The Ethics Committee of Kashan University of Medical Sciences approved the study (Code: IR.KAUMS.REC.1396.36).

The results showed a significant relationship between generalized anxiety and worry, worry and cognitive emotion regulation, worry and mindfulness, generalized anxiety and cognitive emotion regulation, and anxiety and mindfulness. The results of the structural equation modeling confirmed the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation in the relationship between anxiety and worry. Also, the path coefficient of mindfulness and anxiety was removed from the model because it was not significant.

Generally, cognitive emotion regulation plays a mediating role in the relationship between anxiety and worry. These findings seem applicable in the individual, family, educational, therapeutic, and interpersonal mental health fields.