The mediating role of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion in the relationship between childhood trauma and social anxiety

Childhood trauma leads to negative consequences for mental health such as anxiety disorders. This study examined the mediating role of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance in the relationship between childhood trauma and social anxiety. The research method was correlational structural equations and the statistical population of the study included students of Bo Ali Sina University of Hamedan in the academic year of 99-98. According to the number of observed variables in the study, 350 people were selected by available sampling method. Research instruments included Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Brief Experimental Avoidance Scale, Cognitive Fusion Scale, and Leibovitz Social Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed by structural equation method. Based on the research findings, there was a significant relationship between childhood trauma, cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance and social anxiety (p <0.01). According to the values of fit indices such as RMSEA, CFI, IFI, SRMR, etc., the proposed conceptual model was fitted. The mediating role of cognitive fusion and empirical avoidance was also confirmed. Experimental avoidance and cognitive fusion can be special ways to affect trauma on anxiety.