Prediction of Depressive Symptoms Based on Cognitive Reactivity and Negative Meta-Emotions among Students of Islamic Azad University, Bukan Branch
Keywords:
Depression, Cognitive Reactivity, Negative Meta-Emotions, University Students, Islamic Azad UniversityAbstract
This study aimed to predict depressive symptoms based on cognitive reactivity and negative meta-emotions among students of Islamic Azad University, Bukan Branch. This descriptive-correlational study was conducted among all students of Islamic Azad University, Bukan Branch, during the 2023–2024 academic year, with a total population of 2,900 students, of whom 350 were included in the final sample. Data were collected using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the revised Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity (LEIDS-R) to assess cognitive reactivity, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to assess the negative emotional component. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22. Pearson correlation coefficients and simultaneous multiple regression analysis were used to examine the relationships among the study variables and determine the predictive contribution of cognitive reactivity and negative meta-emotions to depressive symptoms. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. The results showed a significant positive correlation between cognitive reactivity and depressive symptoms (r = 0.325, p < 0.001). Negative meta-emotions were also positively and significantly correlated with depression (r = 0.153, p = 0.004). The multiple regression model was statistically significant (F(2,347) = 23.235, p < 0.001), and cognitive reactivity and negative meta-emotions jointly explained 11.8% of the variance in depressive symptoms (R² = 0.118). Cognitive reactivity (β = 0.310, p < 0.001) and negative meta-emotions (β = 0.113, p = 0.027) were both significant positive predictors of depression, with cognitive reactivity showing the stronger predictive contribution. Higher cognitive reactivity and negative meta-emotions were associated with more severe depressive symptoms among university students, and cognitive reactivity had the stronger predictive role. These findings highlight the importance of targeting maladaptive cognitive patterns and negative responses to emotional experiences in preventive and counseling interventions for student mental health.
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