Investigating the Mediating Role of Optimism and Psychological Flexibility in the Relationship Between COVID-19 Anxiety and Mental Health
Keywords:
Corona anxiety, psychological flexibility, optimism, mental healthAbstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and mental health, with the mediating role of optimism and psychological flexibility.
Methodology: This research was quantitative in nature and employed a correlational design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population included individuals aged 18 to 60 residing in Isfahan in 2021. A total of 384 participants were selected as the study sample. Data were collected using the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CDAS), the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) by Scheier and Carver (for optimism), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II). Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation, stepwise multiple regression, and structural equation modeling through SPSS and AMOS software.
Findings: The results indicated that COVID-19 anxiety significantly predicted mental health. Moreover, COVID-19 anxiety indirectly predicted mental health through the mediating role of psychological flexibility. Finally, COVID-19 anxiety significantly predicted mental health both directly by influencing psychological flexibility and indirectly by influencing optimism through the mediation of psychological flexibility.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study can assist researchers, policymakers, and clinicians in the field of mental health by providing psychological and social support strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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