Research Article

The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students

Number: 2 March 12, 2026
TR EN

The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students

Abstract

Purpose: Within the framework of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the study aimed to examine the extent to which psychological flexibility predicted future anxiety among university students and whether core components of psychological flexibility, which are mindfulness, valuing (progress and obstruction), and cognitive defusion, explained additional variance in future anxiety beyond the psychological flexibility. Method: A correlational research design was used in this study. The sample consisted of 336 undergraduate students (213 females, 119 males, and four who did not disclose their gender) enrolled at universities in Ankara, Türkiye, with ages ranging from 18 to 29 years. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to test the proposed model. Findings: The results indicated that the final model accounted for 32% of the variance in future anxiety. Individuals with higher levels of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and cognitive defusion reported lower levels of future anxiety, whereas those with greater value-related obstruction reported higher levels of future anxiety. Progress in values did not significantly predict future anxiety. Conclusion: The findings underscore the critical role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in understanding and addressing future anxiety among emerging adults.

Keywords

References

  1. Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.5.469
  2. Arnett, J. J. (2004). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties. Oxford University Press.
  3. Awad, E., Malaeb, D., Fekih-Romdhane, F., Hallit, S. & Obeid, S. (2024). The moderating effect of psychological distress in the association between temperaments and dark future among young adults. BMC Psychiatry 24 (18). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05486-1
  4. Aydın, G., & Yerin Güneri, O. (2021). The Drexel Defusion Scale: Reliability and validity of the Turkish version. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 11(1), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.770582
  5. Aydın, G., & Yerin Güneri, O. (2022). Exploring the role of psychological inflexibility, rumination, perfectionism, cognitions, cognitive defusion, and self-forgiveness in cognitive test anxiety. Current Psychology, 41(3), 1757–1766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00805-1
  6. Aydın, Y., & Aydın, G. (2017). Adaptation of Valuing Questionnaire (VQ) into Turkish culture. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi [Abant Izzet Baysal University Journal of Faculty of Education], 17(1), 64–77.
  7. Blackledge, J. T. (2007). Disrupting verbal processes: Cognitive defusion in acceptance and commitment therapy and other mindfulness-based psychotherapies. The Psychological Record, 57(4), 555–576. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395595
  8. Bond, F. W., Hayes, S. C., Baer, R. A., Carpenter, K. M., Guenole, N., Orcutt, H. K., Waltz, T., & Zettle, R. D. (2011). Preliminary psychometric properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II: A revised measure of psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance. Behavior Therapy, 42(4), 676–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2011.03.007

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

School Counseling, Psychological Counseling and Guidance (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

March 12, 2026

Submission Date

December 21, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 5, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 2

APA
Doğan, E. S., & Ünlü Kaynakçı, F. Z. (2026). The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 2, 387-399. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1846155
AMA
1.Doğan ES, Ünlü Kaynakçı FZ. The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students. BUEFAD. 2026;(2):387-399. doi:10.14686/buefad.1846155
Chicago
Doğan, Elif Seran, and Fatma Zehra Ünlü Kaynakçı. 2026. “The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future Among University Students”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, nos. 2: 387-99. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1846155.
EndNote
Doğan ES, Ünlü Kaynakçı FZ (March 1, 2026) The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education 2 387–399.
IEEE
[1]E. S. Doğan and F. Z. Ünlü Kaynakçı, “The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students”, BUEFAD, no. 2, pp. 387–399, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.14686/buefad.1846155.
ISNAD
Doğan, Elif Seran - Ünlü Kaynakçı, Fatma Zehra. “The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future Among University Students”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education. 2 (March 1, 2026): 387-399. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1846155.
JAMA
1.Doğan ES, Ünlü Kaynakçı FZ. The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students. BUEFAD. 2026;:387–399.
MLA
Doğan, Elif Seran, and Fatma Zehra Ünlü Kaynakçı. “The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future Among University Students”. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, no. 2, Mar. 2026, pp. 387-99, doi:10.14686/buefad.1846155.
Vancouver
1.Elif Seran Doğan, Fatma Zehra Ünlü Kaynakçı. The Role of Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, Valuing, and Cognitive Defusion in the Prediction of Dark Future among University Students. BUEFAD. 2026 Mar. 1;(2):387-99. doi:10.14686/buefad.1846155

All the articles published in the journal are open access and distributed under the conditions of CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License 

88x31.png


Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education