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Volume 19, Issue 2 (Iranian Journal of Breast Diseases 2026)
ijbd 2026, 19(2): 77-90 |
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Ethics code: IR.IAU.K.REC.1404.064
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Hatami A, Shokrgozar A, Bahrami Hidaji M. Predicting Health Anxiety Based on Mindfulness and Mental Toughness in Women with Breast Cancer. ijbd 2026; 19 (2) :77-90
URL: http://ijbd.ir/article-1-1244-en.html
URL: http://ijbd.ir/article-1-1244-en.html
1- Department of Health & Clinical Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
2- Department of Health & Clinical Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran ,dralirezashokrgozar@iau.ac.ir
3- Department of Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
2- Department of Health & Clinical Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran ,
3- Department of Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
Abstract: (904 Views)
Introduction: The current research objective was to analyze how mindfulness and mental toughness, and the moderating impact of demographic factors (age, educational level, and marital status), predict health anxiety in women who had experienced breast cancer.
Methods: The research design used in this study was cross-sectional. The sample comprised 150 women who had a history of breast cancer and were selected by using a convenience method. Data were collected using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48) (Clough et al., 2002), the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) (Walach et al., 2006), the Health Anxiety Inventory (Salkovskis, 1989), and a demographic information form. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25. To analyze the data, simultaneous multivariate regression analysis was used.
Results: The results showed that in women with a history of breast cancer, mindfulness (β=-0.33, P=0.001), life control (β=-0.19, P=0.018), and emotional control (β=-0.16, P=0.028) as two dimensions of mental toughness have a significant role in predicting health anxiety. The educational status variable had a significant moderating role in the relationships between mindfulness and health anxiety (β = -0.18, P = 0.020) and between mental toughness and health anxiety (β = -0.16, P = 0.022). Also, the marital status variable played a significant moderating role in the relationships between mindfulness and health anxiety (β=0.21, P=0.011) and between psychological resilience and health anxiety (β=0.20, P=0.015). Also, the adjusted coefficient of determination (Adjusted R2) was 0.49, indicating that the present study's dependent variables explained 49 percent of the variation in health anxiety.
Conclusion: Considering the significant role of education in the relationship between mindfulness and mental toughness with health anxiety, mindfulness and mental toughness lose their protective effect in women with lower levels of education. Therefore, in this group, interventions should focus on concrete, simple skills rather than abstract exercises. Also, considering the significant moderating role of marital status and the relationship between mindfulness and mental strength, the design of psychological interventions and support programs can help accelerate the improvement of health anxiety in women with a history of breast cancer.
Methods: The research design used in this study was cross-sectional. The sample comprised 150 women who had a history of breast cancer and were selected by using a convenience method. Data were collected using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48) (Clough et al., 2002), the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) (Walach et al., 2006), the Health Anxiety Inventory (Salkovskis, 1989), and a demographic information form. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25. To analyze the data, simultaneous multivariate regression analysis was used.
Results: The results showed that in women with a history of breast cancer, mindfulness (β=-0.33, P=0.001), life control (β=-0.19, P=0.018), and emotional control (β=-0.16, P=0.028) as two dimensions of mental toughness have a significant role in predicting health anxiety. The educational status variable had a significant moderating role in the relationships between mindfulness and health anxiety (β = -0.18, P = 0.020) and between mental toughness and health anxiety (β = -0.16, P = 0.022). Also, the marital status variable played a significant moderating role in the relationships between mindfulness and health anxiety (β=0.21, P=0.011) and between psychological resilience and health anxiety (β=0.20, P=0.015). Also, the adjusted coefficient of determination (Adjusted R2) was 0.49, indicating that the present study's dependent variables explained 49 percent of the variation in health anxiety.
Conclusion: Considering the significant role of education in the relationship between mindfulness and mental toughness with health anxiety, mindfulness and mental toughness lose their protective effect in women with lower levels of education. Therefore, in this group, interventions should focus on concrete, simple skills rather than abstract exercises. Also, considering the significant moderating role of marital status and the relationship between mindfulness and mental strength, the design of psychological interventions and support programs can help accelerate the improvement of health anxiety in women with a history of breast cancer.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Nutrition, psychology, sport
Received: 2026/05/5 | Accepted: 2026/06/8 | Published: 2026/07/26
Received: 2026/05/5 | Accepted: 2026/06/8 | Published: 2026/07/26
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