The Mediating Role of Transdiagnostic Factors in Relationship between Stressful Events and Generalized Anxiety Disorder

One of the most common psychological disorders among children, adolescents and adults, is anxiety disorders. These disorders include a complex of disorders that their common features are fear, anxiety, and behavioral distress. Various causes and factors are involved in appearance of the disorder. The aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of transdiagnostic factors in relationship between stressful events and generalized anxiety.

Methods and Materials: 

The research method was non-experimental causal. The statistical population was all students of public universities of science and technology ministry in Tehran. Among them 700 students were selected by convenience sampling. And the data were gathered through internet-based questionnaires. The instruments included generalized anxiety scale (short-form) (2006), Freeston’s intolerance of ‎uncertainty (1994), cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (short-form) (2006), acceptance and action questionnaire (2011), life events scale (1971), and meta-cognitive beliefs questionnaire. To analyze the data structural equation modeling (SEM) was used through Amos software version 26.

The results showed that the indirect effect of stressful events on generalized anxiety disorder by mediating role of transdiagnostic factors is significant (p<0.05). The estimates of the findings indicated that intolerance of uncertainty has equal coefficients in mediating of stressful events and generalized anxiety (p<0.05). Also, results revealed that compatible and incompatible emotion regulation, experiential avoidance, and metacognitive beliefs as transdiagnostic factors have significant role in mediating in relationship between stressful events and generalized anxiety (p<0.05).

Regarding the obtained findings based on analyzing data, it can be mentioned that transdiagnostic factors has a mediating role between stressful events and generalized anxiety. Therefore, it is highly important to pay attention to transdiagnostic factors in treatment of patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder.