Variables predicting pathological worry and anxiety in women: Examining the effect of cognitive looming style and self-control

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of self-control on the relationship between cognitive looming style, and anxiety and pathological worry. Cognitive looming style is a cognitive vulnerability that tends to interpret the threat schema, which can be perceived in different ways by individuals, as non-static, approaching the individual and increasing the risk for the individual. The sample of the study consisted of 261 female participants aged 18-60 years. Data were collected from the participants using the Demographic Information Form, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Looming Maladaptive Style Questionnaire-Revised, Brief Self-Control Form and Earthquake Index. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS 21 program and Process Macro V.4.2. extension. Pearson Correlation Analysis was used to analyze the relationships between cognitive looming style, physical looming, social looming, pathological worry, trait anxiety, and self-control. In order to examine the hypothesis that cognitive looming style would predict trait anxiety and pathological worry, Simple Linear Regression Analyses were conducted separately according to the dependent variables. To examine the moderating and mediating effect of self-control on the relationship between cognitive looming style and trait anxiety and pathological anxiety, analyses were conducted using Process Macro V.4.2. According to the results of the analyses, cognitive looming style predicts trait anxiety and pathological worry and self-control has mediating effect on this relationship. The findings were evaluated within the scope of the related literature.