Investigating the activity of brain-behavioral systems and resilience through the mediating role of metacognitive beliefs in patients with tension headaches

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the activity of behavioral brain systems and resilience with emphasis on the mediating role of metacognitive beliefs.

The population of this correlational study consist the patients with tension-type headaches who referred to neurology clinics and clinical psychologists in Mashhad city during 2018-2019. Amongst them 292 cases were selected by convenient sampling method. Participants were assessed through research assessment tools including Jackson Inhibition / Activation Systems, Metacognition Questionnaire (MCQ-30) and Connor & Davidson (2003) Resilience Questionnaire.

The findings showed that behavioral brain systems with all three subscales of behavioral inhibition, behavioral activation and warfare have a direct effect on resilience. (P <0.05), and the two components of the Behavioral Activation System (BAS and Behavioral Inhibition) (BIS) have no direct effect on metacognitive beliefs as a mediating variable, only the FFFS component has a direct negative effect on metacognitive beliefe(P <0.05)

According to the results of the present study, there is a positive and significant relationship between behavioral inhibition system and tension headache. Also, brain -behavioral system and resilience through mediating role of cognitive beliefs can impact on patients with tension headaches.