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Vol. 13 No. 1 (2026)

Khordad 2026

Contribution of Thought Control and Believability of Anxious Feelings and Thoughts to Emotional Distress Tolerance: Mediation of Cognitive Flexibility

  • Kamran Sheivandi Cholicheh
  • Zahra Sohrabi
  • Sahar sadat Taheri tafti
  • Reyhaneh Tabesh

International Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 13 No. 1 (2026), 1 Khordad 2026 , Page 1-10
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijabs.v13i1.44278 Published: 2026-06-01

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Abstract

Background and Aim: Controlling social-mental anxieties and coping with psychological problems are significant for students. The present study investigated the role of thought control and believability of anxious feelings and thoughts in emotional distress tolerance through the mediation of cognitive flexibility in a causal model.

Materials and Methods: The statistical population of this research consisted of all junior, sophomore, and senior students majoring in humanities in the 2021-2022 academic year. A total of 440 students selected through multistage cluster sampling filled out the Thought Control, Cognitive Flexibility, Emotional Distress Tolerance, and Believability of Anxious Feelings and Thoughts questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was performed using SPSS 22 and LIZREL 8.8 software for data analysis.

Results: The results showed that Positive thought control strategies had a positive and significant effect on cognitive flexibility and distress tolerance, whereas negative thought control strategies had a negative and significant effect on cognitive flexibility and distress tolerance. Similarly, the indirect effect of the believability of anxious feelings and thoughts on distress tolerance was negatively and significantly mediated by cognitive flexibility.

Conclusion: It seems that how intrusive thoughts and their associated factors can be managed in students is worth discussing, since positive thought control strategies are significant for controlling attention, emotions, flexibility, and distress tolerance.

Keywords:
  • Cognitive flexibility; Believability of anxious feelings and thoughts; Emotional distress tolerance; Thought control
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How to Cite

Sheivandi Cholicheh, K., Sohrabi, Z., sadat Taheri tafti, S., & Tabesh, R. (2026). Contribution of Thought Control and Believability of Anxious Feelings and Thoughts to Emotional Distress Tolerance: Mediation of Cognitive Flexibility. International Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, 13(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.22037/ijabs.v13i1.44278
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