Prediction of health anxiety in nurses based on attachment styles, distress tolerance and difficulties in emotional regulation

This study aimed to predict health anxiety based on attachment styles, distress tolerance, and difficulties in emotional regulation in nurses. This research was basic research and regarding procedure, it was a correlation study. The statistical population of the present study was all the nurses of Milad Hospital in Tehran in 2022, from whom 131 people were selected as a sample. Research tools included: Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI, Salkovskis & Warwick, 2002), Adult Attachment Inventory (AAI, Simpson, 1990), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS, Simons & Gaher, 2005), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS, Gratz & Roemer, 2004). Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation test and multiple regression. The research results showed that there is a significant correlation (p<0.01) between health anxiety with insecure attachment style (r=0.42), distress tolerance (r=0.41), and difficulties in emotional regulation (r=0.42). Also, insecure attachment style (B=0.257 & p=0.003), distress tolerance (B=0.232 & p=0.008), and difficulties in emotional regulation (B=0.263 & p=0.002) were able to predict 30% of health anxiety changes. It can be concluded that attachment styles, distress tolerance, and difficulties in emotional regulation play a key role in nurses' health anxiety, and it is necessary to pay attention to these factors in interaction with each other in programs to reduce nurses' health anxiety.