Looming cognitive style and anxiety: Moderator role of negative problem orientation and mediator roles of problem-solving styles in this relationship

Looming cognitive style (LCS) is an anxiety-specific cognitive vulnerability factor characterized by the tendency to form mental representations about either real or imagined threats perceived as rapidly approaching and increasing in risk. The hypothetical model of Riskind et al. (2006) stated that these mental scenarios may lead individuals to respond with maladaptive self-protective behaviors, that has not been well studied in the literature. The current study aimed to examine this relationship with the role of Social Problem-Solving dimensions and anticipated that LCS may increase individuals' proneness to use certain problem-solving styles more. It was hypothesized that negative problem orientation, impulsive and avoidant problem-solving styles may maladaptively interact with LCS leading to an increase in the vulnerability towards anxiety, whereas the interaction of LCS with rational problem-solving style may buffer it. The mediator roles of three problem-solving styles in the association between LCS and anxiety with the moderator role of negative problem orientation were investigated while depression and age were controlled. Data were collected at a single time point from 347 participants with ages between 18 – 65 via scales assessing LCS, Social Problem-Solving dimensions, anxiety and depression. The findings showed that high levels of negative problem orientation significantly moderated the effect of LCS on anxiety. The mediating role of the three problem-solving styles, and the moderating effect of negative problem orientation in the indirect effects were not significant. The current study highlights the need to re-examine the maladaptive responses produced by high LCS, and the relationship between problem-solving styles and anxiety.