Structural Equation Modeling in Explaining the Effect of Brain Behavioral System on the Psychological Vulnerability of Female Patients with Diabetes: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Emotions

Background and Aim: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and general disability in ۲۰۲, accounting for two-thirds of all diseases; therefore, the present research aimed to model structural equations in explaining the effect of the brain-behavioral system on diabetic women's psychological vulnerability with the mediating role of positive and negative emotions. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the study included all women with diabetes in the specialized diabetes clinic of Karaj in the first half of ۲۰۱۱. Among this population, ۳۸۰ cases were selected via purposive sampling and participated in the study. Data were collected using Carver and White's behavioral brain systems questionnaire, mental health questionnaire (SCL-۲۵), and Watson et al.'s (۱۹۸۸) positive and negative emotions questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS (version ۲۳) and Amos (version ۱۸) software packages using Pearson's correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling. Results The results pointed out that the indirect path coefficient between the behavioral inhibition system and psychological vulnerability (P=۰.۰۰۱; β=۰.۱۸۸) was positive, and the indirect path coefficient between the behavioral activation system and psychological vulnerability (۰.۰۱>P; β=۰.۱۴۷) was negative and significant. Nonetheless, the coefficient of the indirect path between the behavioral inhibition system and psychological vulnerability through positive affect (P=۰.۰۰۳; β=۰.۰۶۶) was positive, and the indirect coefficient between the behavioral activation system and psychological vulnerability through positive affect (۰.۰۰۱ P=۰.۰۷۰, β=۰.۰۷۰) was negative and significant. However, the coefficient of the indirect path between the behavioral inhibition system and psychological vulnerability through negative emotion (P=۰.۰۰۱; β=۰.۱۲۶) was positive, and the indirect coefficient between the behavioral activation system and psychological vulnerability through negative emotion (۰.۰۰۷ P=۰.۰۸۱, β=۰.۰۸۱) was negative and significant. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results,  it can be concluded that among female patients with diabetes, positive and negative emotions positively medicated the effect of the behavioral inhibition system on psychological vulnerability and negatively mediated the effect of the behavioral activation system on psychological vulnerability.

Keywords:

Behavioral brain system , Modeling , Structural equations , Patients with diabetes , Positive and negative emotions , Psychological vulnerability