Presenting a Structural Model of Mindfulness, Emotional Dysregulation and Neuroticism on Mental Health with the Mediating Role of Distress Tolerance in the COVID Situation

Mental health is significantly related to emotional states such as feelings, stress responses, motivation and mood. These states shape the way of thinking, feeling and behavior and most of them support adaptive performance. This study aims to provide a structural model of mindfulness, emotional dysregulation and neuroticism on mental health with the mediating role of distress tolerance in the COVID situation.

The present study was a correlational and structural equation. A sample of 249 people from all nurses working in Bojnord hospitals (N=700) in 2021 was selected using the convenience sampling method. In this study, the mindfulness, emotional dysregulation, anxiety tolerance and five personality traits questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling using SPSS version 27 and LISREL version 9.5, respectively.

The results showed that the research model is fit at a moderate to appropriate level. Furthermore, the predictor variables (mindfulness, emotional dysregulation and neuroticism) and mediator variable (distress tolerance) in the model were able to explain 68% of the variance in the mental health criterion variable. According to the results, both mindfulness and emotional dysregulation variables had both direct effects on mental health and through the mediation of distress tolerance. While neuroticism had only direct effectiveness on mental health (p<0.05(.

It was concluded that low mindfulness, emotional dysregulation, high neuroticism personality and distress intolerance in nurses leads to their mental health disturbance. These results can provide valuable information in the field of using new psychological methods for hospital staff. Furthermore, it encourages working professionals to use efficient methods to improve people's performance and to use adaptive strategies to regulate emotions and enhance the psychological well-being of nurses