Predicting COVID-19 anxiety based on cognitive flexibility mediated by self-compassion in students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to predict covid-19 anxiety based on cognitive flexibility, considering the mediating role of self-compassion in students. The research method was descriptive-correlation and specifically structural equations. The statistical population in the present study included all male high school students in the second academic year 2020-2021 District 3 of Kermanshah, from which 322 students were selected as a research sample using multi-stage cluster sampling. To collect data, corona disease anxiety Alipour et al (2020) questionnaire, Neff (2003) self-compassion questionnaire and Dennis and Vander Wal (2010) cognitive flexibility questionnaire were used .Data analysis was performed by structural equation method using Amos software. The results showed that cognitive flexibility with mediating role of self-compassion (β = -0.16) is indirectly related to covid-19 anxiety, which is statistically with 99% confidence with is significant (p≤0.01).Also, between direct relationships, flexibility (β = -0.45) and self-compassion (β = -0.43) are directly and significantly related to covid-19 anxiety, and cognitive flexibility is directly related to self-compassion (β = 0.38). All these relationships are statistically significant with 99% confidence (p≤ 0.01).