The Relationship between Depression, Anxiety and Cognitive Abilities in Middle-Aged Women: The Mediating Role of Mindfulness

Middle-aged women seem to perform a multitude of tasks in the family which may be very stressful. As a result, and combined with physiological and hormonal changes during menopause, these women may be at increasing. This in turn may result in decreased cognitive abilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between depression and anxiety with cognitive abilities in middle-aged women. The research method was descriptive-correlational using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study included all women between 40 and 60 years old living in Shiraz in the first quarter of 2023. Of these, 331women were available to take part in the study having fulfilled research criteria. Measurement tools used include: Mindfulness, Attention, Awareness Scale(MAAS) (Brown and Ryan, 2003); the Short Form of Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS-21) (Lavibond and Lavibond, 1995); and Nejati’s (2013) Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire. Data was analyzed by using the maximum likelihood estimation and the Bootstrape Significance Test. Findings showed direct and indirect (with the mediation of mindfulness) significant relationships between depression and anxiety with cognitive abilities in middle-aged women. Also, the direct and negative relationship between depression and anxiety with mindfulness and the direct and positive relationship between mindfulness and cognitive abilities were significant. Therefore, high levels of depression and anxiety and low levels of mindfulness can be considered as negative factors affecting cognitive abilities in middle-aged women.