DETERMINING THE EFFECT OF BRAIN BEHAVIORAL SYSTEM ON PSYCHOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY WITH THE MEDIATION OF ANXIETY SENSITIVITY, EMOTIONS, AND DISTRESS TOLERANCE IN THE PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS

Background & Aim:

 People with diabetes are potentially threatened by other factors such as negative emotions, nervous system defects, and sensitivity to anxiety, which affects whether or not they are affected by diabetes-related wounds. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of brain-behavioral system on diabetic female patients exposed to psychological vulnerability with the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions and distress tolerance.

Materials & Methods:

This research was applied in terms of purpose, and structural in terms of methods. The statistical population consisted of all women with diabetes in the specialized diabetes clinic of Karaj city, Iran in the first half of 2011, which 390 people were selected by purposive sampling method. To collect data, the questionnaires of Carver and White's behavioral brain systems, mental health questionnaire (SCL-25), Taylor and Cox's anxiety sensitivity, Watson, Clark and Telgen's positive and negative emotions, and Simmons and Gaher's distress tolerance were used. Regression equation tests were used to analyze the data. Data analysis was done using SPSS 18 and Amos 23 softwares.

The results showed that the variables of behavioral brain system, anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions and distress tolerance have direct and significant effects on psychological vulnerability. Also, the indirect path of the effect of the brain-behavioral system through the mediation of anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions and distress tolerance on psychological vulnerability was confirmed. In general, the research model was confirmed and the research variables had the ability to predict 69% of the psychological vulnerability variable.

Considering the role of the behavioral brain system, anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions, and distress tolerance on mental vulnerability, it is necessary for therapists to develop programs to reduce the mental damage of the behavioral brain system, anxiety sensitivity, positive and negative emotions, and distress tolerance in order to reduce psychological damage in these patients by changing these variables.