The Prediction of Social Anxiety Disorder based on Alexithymia and Thought Control Strategies with the mediation of Cognitive Flexibility in Students

Abstract :

The aim of this study was to predict social anxiety disorder based on alexithymia and thought control strategies with the mediation of cognitive flexibility in students. The method of this descriptive study was structural equation modeling.The statistical population was the undergraduate students of Zanjan University in the academic year 2022-2023,and 331 people were selected by the available sampling method.The participants completed the LSAS-S R,T A S, TCQ and  CFI. Data were analyzed by SPSS-26 and AMOS-23 software.The results showed that the proposed model had a good fit, the direct and indirect paths in the model were significant, the strategies of reappraisal and distraction of thought control,with cognitive flexibility had a positive and significant relationship,but the strategies of worry and punishment thought control and alexithymia had a negative and significant relationship with cognitive flexibilityand cognitive flexibility had a negative and significant relationship with social anxiety. Cognitive flexibility played a positive and significant mediating role in the relationship between alexithymia,worry and punishment strategies of thought control,and a negative and significant mediating role in the relationship between distraction and reappraisal with social anxiety.Also, a significant percentage of the variance of social anxiety can be explained by cognitive flexibility.It can be concluded that alexithymia and thought control strategies with the mediation of cognitive flexibility can predict social anxiety disorder in students,Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the interaction of these factors with each other in intervention programs to reduce social anxiety.

References:

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