Investigation of Certain Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors Affecting Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Through Parallel Serial Mediation Models

OpenAlex İngilizce

Objective: This study aims to investigate the parallel serial mediating effects of cognitive flexibility, attentional control, and worry in the relationship between rumination—which has been repeatedly proven to persist in the etiology of depression—and the symptoms of depression. This model will also be tested with anxiety symptoms. Method: The study involved 832 university students, all emerging adults. The Personal Information Form, Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Attentional Control Scale, and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale Short Form were used. Results: In two separate parallel serial mediation analyses, where gender was included as a control variable and depression and anxiety symptoms were included as dependent variables, the findings of the significant models were consistent. Accordingly, in both models in which both depression and anxiety are predicted, while the parallel serial mediation effect of cognitive flexibility and worry was significant (respectively; B=.003, SE=.001, %95 BCa CI [.001, .005]; B=.004, SE=.001, %95 BCa CI [.003, .007]), the parallel serial mediation effect of cognitive flexibility and attentional control was not significant (respectively; B=.000, SE=.000, %95 BCa CI [-.001, .001]; B=.00, SE=.00, %95 BCa CI [-.001, .001]). Conclusion: The findings of models that include certain cognitive and metacognitive factors seem to support the idea proposed by the transdiagnostic approach that there are common vulnerability factors in the explanation of disorders.