Mediator Role of Metacognition in the Relationship between Nicotine Addiction and Emotion Dysregulation in Adult Smokers

Abstract

Objective: Examining the psychological factors underlying nicotine addiction seems important in understanding the maintenance of addiction. This study examined the association between severity of nicotine addiction, difficulties in emotion regulation (DER) and metacognitive beliefs (MCBs). Method: The sample consisted of 255 people at the age of 18 and over, smoking at least one cigarette daily. The data were collected online by using the Turkish versions of Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form, Metacognitions About Smoking Questionnaire, and Demographic Information Form. Results: A significant positive relationship was found between daily cigarette consumption and the severity of nicotine addiction. Among difficulties in emotion regulation, nonacceptance emerged as a significant predictor. Additionally, both positive metacognitive beliefs related to cognitive regulation and negative metacognitive beliefs regarding uncontrollability significantly predicted nicotine dependence. Findings also showed that metacognitive beliefs had a mediating role in the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and addiction severity. While the initial model accounted for 40% of the variance, the inclusion of metacognitive beliefs increased the explained variance to 58%, underscoring their substantial explanatory power. Conclusion: The substantial increase in the expained variance reflects the strong explanatory contribution of metacognitive beliefs in understanding the severity of nicotine addiction.

Keywords

• nicotine addiction
• emotion regulation
• metacognition

Yetişkin Sigara İçicilerinde Nikotin Bağımlılığı ve Duygu Düzensizliği Arasındaki İlişkide Üstbilişin Aracı Rolü

Öz

Amaç: Nikotin bağımlılığının altında yatan psikolojik faktörlerin incelenmesi, bağımlılığın sürdürülmesini anlamak için önemli görünmektedir. Bu çalışmada nikotin bağımlılığının şiddeti, duygu düzenleme güçlüğü ve meta-bilişsel inançlar arasındaki ilişki incelenmiştir. Yöntem: Örneklem 18 yaş ve üzeri, günde en az bir sigara içen 255 kişiden oluşmuştur. Veriler Fagerström Nikotin Bağımlılığı Testi, Duygu Düzenleme Güçlüğü Ölçeği-Kısa Form, Sigarayla İlgili Meta-Bilişler Anketi ve Demografik Bilgi Formu'nun Türkçe versiyonları kullanılarak çevrimiçi olarak toplanmıştır. Bulgular: Günlük sigara tüketimi ile nikotin bağımlılığının şiddeti arasında anlamlı pozitif ilişki bulunmuştur. Duygu düzenleme güçlükleri arasında kabul etmeme değişkeni anlamlı bir yordayıcı olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Ayrıca, hem bilişsel düzenlemeyle ilgili olumlu meta-bilişsel inançlar hem de kontrol edilemezlikle ilgili olumsuz meta-bilişsel inançlar nikotin bağımlılığını anlamlı şekilde yordamıştır. Bulgular meta-bilişsel inançların duygu düzenleme güçlükleri ile bağımlılık şiddeti arasındaki ilişkide aracı bir rol oynadığını da göstermiştir. İlk model varyansın %40'ını açıklarken, meta-bilişsel inançların dahil edilmesi açıklanan varyansı %58'e çıkararak bu inançların önemli açıklayıcı gücünü vurgulamıştır. Sonuç: Açıklanan varyanstaki önemli artış, meta-bilişsel inançların nikotin bağımlılığının şiddetini anlamada güçlü açıklayıcı katkısını yansıtmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• nikotin bağımlılığı
• duygu regülasyonu
• üstbiliş

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