The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility and Emotional Flexibility in the Relationship Between Metacognitions and Emotional Schemas with Rumination

Authors

    Reyhaneh Eshghifar Department of General Psychology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, , Tehran, Iran.
    Shahram Mohammadkhani * Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. Mohammadkhani@khu.ac.ir
    Jafar Hasani Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jndd.3.4.7

Keywords:

Rumination, Metacognitions, Emotional schemas, Emotional flexibility, Psychological flexibility

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of psychological flexibility and emotional flexibility in the relationship between metacognitions and emotional schemas with rumination.

Methodology: This research was done in the form of structural equation modeling (SEM). Participants were 578 people from the non-clinical population residents of Tehran who were selected by voluntary sampling method. Then they completed the Ruminative Response Scale, Positive Beliefs about Rumination Scale, Negative Beliefs about Rumination Scale, Emotion Schemas Scale - Persian version, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II, Emotional Flexibility Scale.

Findings: The results of the model evaluation indicated that metacognitions, emotional schemas, psychological flexibility and emotional flexibility directly have a significant effect on rumination. The mediating role of psychological flexibility and emotional flexibility was significant in the relationship between metacognitions and rumination. The mediating role of emotional flexibility in the relationship between emotional schemas and rumination was not significant, but the mediating role of emotional flexibility in the relationship between metacognitions and rumination was significant.

Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, modifying metacognitions along with increasing psychological flexibility and emotional flexibility, as well as modifying maladaptive emotional schemas along with increasing psychological flexibility, can be effective in creating preventive strategies and rumination management.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aldao, A., Sheppes, G., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation flexibility. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 39, 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-014-9662-4

Abasi, E., Fathi, L., Moloudi, R., & Zarabi, H. (2012). Psychometric properties of Persian version of acceptance and action questionnaire–II. Psychological Methods and Models, 3(10), 65-80.

Akbari, M, (2017). Metacognitions or distress intolerance: The mediating role in the relationship between emotional dysregulation and problematic internet use. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 6, 128-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2017.10.00

Anderson, J. C., Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 411–423. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.411

Aydin, O., & Kaynak, H. (2021). The mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between metacognition and psychological health: A study in a non-clinical sample. Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 34(4), 320–328. https://doi.org/10.14744/DAJPNS.2021.00154

Beshai, S., Prentice, J. L., & Huang, V. (2018). Building blocks of emotional flexibility: Trait mindfulness and self-compassion are associated with positive and negative mood shifts. Mindfulness, 9(3), 939–948. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0833-8

Bluett, E. J., Homan, K. J., Morrison, K. L., Levin, M. E., & Twohig, M. P. (2014). Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety and OCD spectrum disorders: An empirical review. Journal of anxiety disorders, 28(6), 612–624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.06.008

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

Burton, C. L., & Bonanno, G. A. (2016). Regulatory flexibility and its role in adaptation to aversive events throughout the lifespan. In A. D. Ong & C. E. Löckenhoff (Eds.), Emotion, aging, and health (pp. 71–94). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14857-005

Chou, C. P., & Bentler, P. M. (1995). Estimation and tests in structural equation modelling. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.), Structural equation modelling: Concepts, issues, and applications (pp. 37–55). Sage Pub.

Coifman, K. G., Bonanno, G. A., & Rafaeli, E. (2007). Affect dynamics, bereavement and resilience to loss. Journal of Happiness Studies: An Interdisciplinary Forum on Subjective Well-Being, 8(3), 371–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-006-9014-5

Coifman, K. G., & Bonanno, G. A. (2010). When distress does not become depression: Emotion context sensitivity and adjustment to bereavement. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 119(3), 479–490. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020113

Coleman, A., & Oliveros, A. D. (2020). Reconceptualization of emotion regulation: strategy use, flexibility, and emotionality. Anxiety, stress, and coping, 33(1), 19–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2019.1655641

Dasch, K. B., Cohen, L. H., Belcher, A., Laurenceau, J. P., Kendall, J., Siegel, S., Parrish, B., & Graber, E. (2010). Affective differentiation in breast cancer patients. Journal of behavioral medicine, 33(6), 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-010-9274-8

Davis, R. N., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2000). Cognitive inflexibility among ruminators and nonruminators. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24(6), 699- 711. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005591412406

Dugan, U. (2023). The relationship between test anxiety, rumination, and psychological flexibility. Current Psychology, 43, 2568-2577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04411-9

Dunlosky, J., & Metcalfe, J. (2009). A Textbook for Cognitive, Educational, Life span, and Applied Psychology. Sage Pub.

Edwards, D. J., & Lowe, R. (2021). Associations Between Mental Health, Interoception, Psychological Flexibility, and Self-as-Context, as Predictors for Alexithymia: A Deep Artificial Neural Network Approach. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 637802. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.637802

Edwards, E. R., Liu, Y., Ruiz, D., Brosowsky, N. P., & Wupperman, P. (2021). Maladaptive emotional schemas and emotional functioning: Evaluation of an integrated model across two independent samples. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 39(3), 428–455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-020-00379-8

Ellis, D. M., & Hudson, J. L. (2010). The metacognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder in children and adolescents. Clinical child and family psychology review, 13(2), 151–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-010-0065-0

Tekin, O. E. (2022). The mediating role of cognitive diffusion in the relationship between rumination and psychological flexibility (acceptance) of university students. International Journal of Eurasian Education and Culture, 7(18), 1581-1627. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.35826/ijoecc.605

Fang, S., & Ding, D. (2022). Which outcome variables are associated with psychological inflexibility/flexibility for chronic pain patients? A three level meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1069748. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1069748

Faustino B. (2021). Transdiagnostic perspective on psychological inflexibility and emotional dysregulation. Behavioral and cognitive psychotherapy, 49(2), 233–246. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465820000600

Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive–developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34(10), 906–911. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.906

Genet, J. J., Malooly, A. M., & Siemer, M. (2013). Flexibility is not always adaptive: Affective flexibility and inflexibility predict rumination use in everyday life. Cognition & emotion, 27(4), 685–695. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2012.733351

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., Wilson, K. G., Bissett, R. T., Pistorello, J., Toarmino, D., Polusny, M. A., Dykstra, T. A., Batten, S. V., Bergan, J., Stewart, S. H., Zvolensky, M. J., Eifert, G. H., Bond, F. W., Forsyth, J. P., Karekla, M., & McCurry, S. M. (2004). Measuring Experiential Avoidance: A Preliminary Test of a Working Model. The Psychological Record, 54(4), 553–578. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395492

Khanzadeh, M., Edrisi, F., Mohammadhani, S., & Saeedian, M. (2013). Investigating the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Emotional Schemas Inventory in students. Journal of Clinical Psychology Studies, 11, 91-120.

Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford Press.

Leahy, R. L. (2002). A model of emotional schemas. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9(3), 177–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1077-7229(02)80048-7

Leahy, R. L. (2012). Introduction: emotional schemas, emotion regulation, and psychopathology. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 5(4), 359-361. http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2012.5.4.359

Leahy, R. L. (2016). Emotional schema therapy: A meta‐experiential model. Australian Psychologist, 51(2), 82–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12142

Leahy, R. L. (2019). Introduction: Emotional schemas and emotional schema therapy. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 12(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-018-0038-5

Leahy, R. L., Tirch, D. D., & Melwani, P. S. (2012). Processes underlying depression: Risk aversion, emotional schemas, and psychological flexibility. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 5(4), 362–379. https://doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2012.5.4.362

Mansueto, G., Marino, C., Palmieri, S., Offredi, A., Sarracino, D., Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G. M., Spada, M. M., & Caselli, G. (2022). Difficulties in emotion regulation: The role of repetitive negative thinking and metacognitive beliefs. Journal of affective disorders, 308, 473–483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.086

Mohammadhani, S., Poormand, N., & Hasanabadi, H. R. (2013). Empirical testing of the metacognitive model of rumination and depression in a non-clinical population. Journal of Psychological Research, 30, 163-184.

Mohammadkhani, S., Akbari, M., West, A., Mazloom, M., & Gezloo, F. (2022). The relationship of metacognition with worry: The mediating role of emotional flexibility and affective style. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 40(3), 493–511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-021-00422-2

Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Morrow, J. (1991). A prospective study of depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms after a natural disaster: the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Journal of personality and social psychology, 61(1), 115–121. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.61.1.115

Papageorgiou, C., & Wells, A. (2001a). Metacognitive beliefs about rumination in recurrent major depression. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 8(2), 160–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1077-7229(01)80021-3

Papageorgiou, C., & Wells, A. (2001b). Positive beliefs about depressive rumination: Development and preliminary validation of a self-report scale. Behavior Therapy, 32(1), 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(01)80041-1

Papageorgiou, C., & Wells, A. (2004). Nature, functions and beliefs about depressive rumination. In C. Papageorgiou., & A. Wells (Eds.), Depressive rumination: Nature, theory and treatment (pp. 3-20). Wiley.

Pitzer, L. M., & Bergeman, C. S. (2014). Synchrony in affect among stressed adults: The Notre Dame Widowhood Study. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 69(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbt026

Rashid, K., & Bayat, A. (2019). Construction, validation, and factor structure identification of the Emotional Flexibility Scale among individuals seeking health care in Hamedan. Razi Journal of Medical Sciences, 6(26), 13-24.

Roelofs, J., Huibers, M., Peeters, F., Arntz, A., & van Os, J. (2010). Positive and negative beliefs about depressive rumination: A psychometric evaluation of two self-report scales and a test of a clinical metacognitive model of rumination and depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 34(2), 196–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-009-9244-z

Sabucedo, P. (2017). The Psychological Flexibility Model from a cultural perspective: an interpretative analysis of two Native American healing rituals. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 10(4), 367–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/17542863.2017.1323935

Salguero, J. M., Ramos-Cejudo, J., & García-Sancho, E. (2019). Metacognitive beliefs and emotional dysregulation have a specific contribution on worry and the emotional symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 12(3), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-019-00048-4

Silberstein, L. R., Tirch, D., Leahy, R. L., & McGinn, L. (2012). Mindfulness, psychological flexibility and emotional schemas. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 5(4), 406–419. https://doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2012.5.4.406

Tekin, O. E. (2022). The mediating role of cognitive defusion in the relationship between rumination and psychological flexibility (acceptance) of university students. International Journal of Eurasian Education and Culture, 7(18), 1581-1627. http://dx.doi.org/10.35826/ijoecc.605

Watkins, E. (2023). Rumination. In D. J. A. Dozois., & K. S. Dobson. (Eds.), Treatment of psychosocial risk factors in depression (pp. 305–331). American Psychological Association.

Watkins, E. R., & Roberts, H. (2020). Reflecting on rumination: Consequences, causes, mechanisms and treatment of rumination. Behaviour research and therapy, 127, 103573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2020.103573

Watkins, E. R. (2024). Rumination. In J. J. Gross & B. Q. Ford (Eds.), Handbook of emotion regulation (3rd ed., pp. 513–519). The Guilford Press.

Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitive therapy for anxiety and depression. The Guilford Press.

Wells, A. (2019). Breaking the cybernetic code: Understanding and treating the human metacognitive control system to enhance mental health. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2621. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02621.

Wells, A., & Matthews, G. (1996). Modelling cognition in emotional disorder: the S-REF model. Behaviour research and therapy, 34(11-12), 881–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0005-7967(96)00050-2

Wells, A., & Matthews, G. (2015). Attention and Emotion: A Clinical Perspective. Psychology Press.

Wells, A., & Nordahl, H. (2023). Metacognition and mental regulation. In D. J. A. Dozois & K. S. Dobson (Eds.), Treatment of psychosocial risk factors in depression (pp. 383–406). American Psychological Association.

Yousefi, Z. (2005). Structural and normative validation of the Ruminative Thought Questionnaire [Unpublished master's thesis]. Isfahan University.

Yook, K., Kim, K. H., Suh, S. Y., & Lee, K. S. (2010). Intolerance of uncertainty, worry, and rumination in major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 24(6), 623-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.04.003

Downloads

Published

2024-12-28

Submitted

2024-07-20

Revised

2024-09-15

Accepted

2024-11-13

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Eshghifar, R. ., Mohammadkhani , S. ., & Hasani, J. . (2024). The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility and Emotional Flexibility in the Relationship Between Metacognitions and Emotional Schemas with Rumination. Iranian Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 3(4), 65-78. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jndd.3.4.7

Similar Articles

11-20 of 176

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.