The Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation: Predicting Physical Health, Depression, Anxiety, Social Functions and Spiritual Health Based on Self-Talk Among Medical Students
Authors
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Negar Mivevar
M.Sc, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0322-3324
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Roshank Khodabakhsh Pirkalai
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2077-8843
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22100/ijhs.v12i4.1172Keywords:
Cognitive emotion regulation, Physical health, Depression, Anxiety, Social functions, Spiritual well-being, Type of self-talk, Medical studentsAbstract
Background: It is obvious that individuals vary in the frequency with which they engage in self-talk. However, the reasons for these differences in self-communication among individuals are not well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation in predicting mental health and spiritual health based on the type of self-talk in physicians in Tehran.
Method: The study utilized a descriptive and correlational research method, specifically structural equations. The target population was all medical students in Tehran during the academic year 2021-2022. From this group, 204 individuals were chosen through convenience sampling to participate in the research. These participants completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS), Self-Talk Questionnaire (STQ), and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS26 and AMOS24, with a focus on both descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistical methods employed included multiple regression and structural equations.
Results: The structural equations analysis revealed a significant direct relationship between positive and negative self-talk and mental/spiritual health, as well as between cognitive emotion regulation and mental health (P-value<0.05). However, cognitive emotion regulation was not a mediator between self-talk and mental/spiritual health (P-value>0.05), and the overall model fit was not ideal. Additionally, the regression analysis indicated that the type of self-talk could predict the mental health outcomes of medical students.
Conclusion: The findings also indicated that the nature of self-talk can be used to forecast the spiritual well-being of medical students. Based on the study results, it is recommended that hospital administrators encourage this type of self-talk to enhance the mental and spiritual wellness of physicians.
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