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An exploration of moderator effect of Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies (NMRE) in the association of Looming Cognitive Style (LCS) with trait anxiety

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Abstract

Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies (NMRE) refer to the beliefs that one has concerning his/her ability to control and regulate a negative mood state. NMRE play an important role in development of psychological disorders since it is known to buffer the negative impact of various risk factors for emotional distress. The present study aims to test the interaction of NMRE with Looming Cognitive Style (LCS), a cognitive vulnerability factor specific for anxiety disorders and the role this interaction plays in subjectively felt anxiety. Data were collected from 326 university students (251 female) through self-report questionnaires assessing LCS, NMRE, anxiety and depression. The results showed that both LCS and NMRE are significantly associated with anxiety scores while controlling for the overlap between anxiety and depression. Moreover, NMRE was found to be significantly able to moderate the association between LCS and anxiety. That is; tendency to generate looming cognitions appeared to be linked to higher anxiety when the individuals have low levels of confidence in their capacities for mood regulation and coping.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Koc University, CSSH Building, Z0E8, Rumelifeneri, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ayşe Altan-Atalay

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  1. Ayşe Altan-Atalay
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Correspondence to Ayşe Altan-Atalay.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Prior to participation in the study, all participants provided informed consent.

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Authors declare that there is no potential conflict of interest pertaining this submission to Current Psychology.

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Altan-Atalay, A. An exploration of moderator effect of Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies (NMRE) in the association of Looming Cognitive Style (LCS) with trait anxiety. Curr Psychol 39, 2159–2165 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9907-6

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