The mediating role of mindfulness, cognitive control, and cognitive flexibility on the relationship between COVID-19 concerns and generalized anxiety disorder

Year 2024, , 71 - 84, 25.04.2024

Yasemin Meral , İbrahim Yakın , Gamze Çarboğa , Ömer Emre Bayram

https://doi.org/10.57127/kpd.26024438m0000108

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 presents a threat to human psychology and shows an increase in anxiety. With the uncertainty during the pandemic, individuals are concerned about different areas in their life such as health or economy. Thus, an increase in symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is expected. The present study aimed to investigate the association between COVID-19 concerns and GAD-symptoms, and the mediating roles of Mindfulness, Cognitive Control (CC), and Cognitive Flexibility (CF) on this relationship. 458 individuals aging between 18-75 (78.4% female, 21.6% male) participated in the present study. Data was collected online using self-reported questionnaires measuring concerns relating to COVID-19, GAD-symptoms, Mindfulness, CC, and CF. The results of the present study showed that GAD-symptoms were significantly predicted by coronavirus concerns. The more worries about the pandemic outcome, the higher GAD-symptoms were reported. Moreover, this association was mediated by Mindfulness and CC. Mindful individuals and those with higher CC showed fewer GAD-symptoms. Even though CF has been found as decreasing anxiety symptoms, it did not affect COVID-19 anxiety. Regarding GAD, individuals’ worries are not unrealistic, but mostly not linked to real threat. During the pandemic on the other hand, worries are related to real danger. Thus, beliefs about the pandemic might be not maladaptive. Instead of changing these beliefs, having the ability to direct attention purposefully, such as in CC, might be more essential. Furthermore, accepting their experiences in a non-judgmental way might be adaptive. Our results highlight that individuals with GAD-symptoms might benefit from interventions based on Mindfulness and CC during the pandemic.

Keywords

Covid-19, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Mindfulness, Cognitive Control, Cognitive Flexibility

Project Number

120K406

Kovid-19 kaynaklı endişenin yaygın anksiyete bozukluğuna etkisinde bilinçli farkındalık, bilişsel kontrol ve bilişsel esneklik değişkenlerinin aracı rolü

Abstract

Kovid-19 salgını insan psikolojisine dair bir tehdit oluşturmakta ve anksiyete seviyesinde artışa sebep olabilmektedir. Bireyler salgın sürecindeki belirsizlikle birlikte sağlık, ekonomi, eğitim ya da gelecek gibi farklı alanlar hakkında endişe duymaktadırlar. Bu nedenle, Yaygın Anksiyete Bozukluğu (YAB) semptomlarında artış olması beklenmektedir. Mevcut çalışma, Kovid-19 kaynaklı endişe ve YAB semptomları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemeyi ve farkındalık, bilişsel kontrol ve bilişsel esneklik faktörlerinin bu ilişki üzerindeki aracı rollerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Bu çalışmaya 18 ile 75 yaşları arasındaki 458 kişi katılmıştır (%78.4 kadın, %21.6 erkek). Veriler Kovid-19 kaynaklı endişe (KKE), YAB semptomları, Bilinçli Farkındalık (BF), Bilişsel Esneklik (BE) ve Bilişsel Kontrol (BK) öz-bildirim ölçekleri kullanılarak çevrimiçi anket yöntemiyle toplanmıştır. Mevcut çalışmanın sonuçları, KKE’nin YAB semptomlarını anlamlı biçimde yordadığını göstermiştir. Salgının sonuçlarına ilişkin endişeler arttıkça YAB semptomları da artmaktadır. Dahası, bu ilişkiye BF ve BK aracı etmektedir. Bilinçli farkındalığı ve BK yüksek olan kişiler daha az YAB semptomu raporlamışlardır. BE kaygı semptomlarını azalttığı bilinse de aracı rolü bu ilişkide anlamlı bulunmamıştır. YAB’da, bireylerin kaygıları gerçek dışı olmasa da çoğunlukla gerçek bir tehdit ile de bağlantılı değildir. Fakat salgına ilişkin endişeler gerçek bir tehdit ile ilişkili olduğundan salgın hakkındaki inançlar ve düşünceler işlevsiz olmayabilir. Bu inançları değiştirmektense, bilişsel kontrolde olduğu gibi, dikkati amaç doğrultusunda yönlendirebilme becerisine sahip olmak daha anlamlı olabilir. Ayrıca, salgın pek çok insanı olumsuz etkilemiştir. Bu deneyimleri yargılayıcı olmayan bir şekilde kabul etmek daha işlevsel bir yol olabilir. Sonuçlarımız, salgın sırasında YAB semptomlarına sahip olan bireylerin bilinçli farkındalık ve bilişsel kontrol temelli müdahalelerden faydalanabileceğini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

Kovid-19, Yaygın Anksiyete Bozukluğu, Bilinçli Farkındalık, Bilişsel Kontrol, Bilişsel Esneklik

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK

Project Number

120K406

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