Relationship Between Cognitive Flexibility, Quality of Marital Relationships and Pregnancy Anxiety in the First Trimester: Mediating Role of Health-Promoting Lifestyle

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD student of Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.

3 Professor, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

10.22034/jmpr.2023.58642.5859

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the relationship between cognitive flexibility, quality of marital relationships and pregnancy anxiety in the first trimester by mediating health promoting lifestyle. This research was conducted with a correlational method. Therefore, using purposeful sampling method, 250 subjects were selected from the population of pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy who had medical records at Al-Zahra Women's Hospital and Milad Clinic in Tabriz, and they were assessed by Pregnancy Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ), Dennis and VanderWaal (2010) cognitive flexibility scale, Walker's health-promoting lifestyle and Busby et al. (1995) quality of marital life questionnaire. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling method. Findings showed that there were negative and significant relationship between quality of marital relations, cognitive flexibility, health-promoting lifestyle and pregnancy anxiety. Health promoting lifestyle determines 37% of pregnancy anxiety variances negatively. On the other hand, the results showed that the health- promoting lifestyle can significantly mediate the relationship between the quality of marital relationships, cognitive flexibility and pregnancy anxiety. Hence, it can be concluded that flexibility as a cognitive ability can moderate the effects of difficult situations. On the other hand, the quality of marital relationships is an important factor in reducing anxiety, and a health- promoting lifestyle can be a protective factor against anxiety and stress during pregnancy.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 January 2025
  • Receive Date: 30 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 19 December 2023
  • Accept Date: 31 December 2023