Conscious awareness and psychological well-being: The mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and stress coping styles

This study aims to examine the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and coping style in the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being in emerging adults. To this end, the study was conducted using the correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, to examine the relationships between the variables. The study consisted of 569 university students aged 18-25 (X = 20.27; SD = 2.06) studying in Turkey, 389 of whom were female and 180 of whom were male. The measurement tools used in the study were the "Personal Information Form," the "Mindfulness Scale," the "Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (BTÖ-12)," and the "Psychological Well-Being Scale." Pearson's Moment Correlation, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the data in the study. According to the research findings, intolerance of uncertainty and emotion-focused coping style were determined to play a mediating role in the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being. When psychological well-being scores were examined in terms of demographic variables, no significant difference was found based on gender and class level; however, psychological well-being levels were found to differ significantly based on socioeconomic status. Accordingly, it was observed that individuals with lower-middle and middle socioeconomic status had lower psychological well-being levels, while those with upper-middle socioeconomic status had higher levels; furthermore, individuals with middle socioeconomic status had higher psychological well-being levels compared to those with lower-middle status. The findings obtained in the study were discussed in line with the literature, and various recommendations were made for future studies.