Post-traumatic stress symptom, metacognition, emotional schema and emotion regulation: A structural equation model

Abstract

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to assess the direct and indirect impacts of the metacognition, emotional schema and emotion regulation in prediction of post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptom. MethodParticipants consisted of 678 high school students from earthquake-stricken areas of eastern Azerbaijan selected from Varzaghan, Ahar and Heris by multistage cluster sampling. PTSD Symptom Scale—Self Report (PSS-SR), Metacognition Questionnaire—Adolescent Version (MCQ-A), Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS) and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) were utilized for data collection. SPSS software and LISREL software were used for data analysis. ResultsThe results of SEM and path analysis indicated the direct and indirect (through emotion regulation) impacts of metacognition and also indirect (through emotion regulation) impact of emotional schema on PTS symptom. Model examination presented the good fitness of the proposed theoretical model. ConclusionsConsistent with metacognitive model and also emotional schema model, results of this study indicated the impact of metacognition and emotional schema on post-traumatic stress symptom through emotion regulation. This finding emphasizes that both metacognitive and emotional factors are important in explanation of PTS symptom.