Mediation Role of Emotion Regulation Strategies on the Relationship Between Emotional Intensity, Safety and Reward Motivations with Social Anxiety Symptoms, Rumination and Worry: A Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

Background: Despite the widespread studies demonstrating the role of emotion regulation in social anxiety and distress symptoms, its mechanism and its relation to more biological basis like motivation is not well known. Objectives: Based on emotion dysregulation model, the present study aimed to assess mediation role of emotion regulation strategies on the relationship between, emotional intensity, safety and reward motivations with social anxiety symptoms, rumination and worry. Methods: Using Quota sampling, 524 participants were recruited from community sample and filled in questionnaires. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: The results of SEM supported the mediating role of emotion regulation strategies (attentional control, decentering, awareness, reappraisal, and non-acceptance) in the relationship between motivation (reward and punishment) and emotion dysregulation symptoms (social anxiety symptoms, worry, and rumination). Model examination indicated the good fitness of the proposed theoretical model especially after omitting emotion intensity, as χ2=61.94, df=26, χ2/df=2.38, P < 0.001, CFI=0.97, GFI=0.97, AGFI=0.95, RMSEA= 0.05. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the possible important role of emotion regulation strategies and temperamental traits like motivation in the etiology of social anxiety disorder and their correlate distress symptoms.