Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Psychology, Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are recognized as the leading cause of premature death worldwide and are seriously affected by lifestyle choices. The present study aimed to structurally model the health-promoting lifestyle in cardiovascular patients based on cognitive fusion, mediated by cognitive flexibility. Methods: The execution method was descriptive, and the research design was correlational using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. The statistical population included CVD patients in the year 2025 who referred to three specialized heart clinics for outpatient examination and had a disease duration of at least one year. A sample of 265 individuals was selected using convenience sampling. Standard questionnaires for Health-Promoting Behaviors, Cognitive Fusion, and Cognitive Flexibility were used. Findings: Statistical data analysis was performed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis method via the bootstrap test, using AMOS24 and SPSS26 software. The research findings showed that cognitive fusion had a significant negative effect on the health-promoting lifestyle (β=-0.187, p=0.023) and cognitive flexibility (β=-0.201, p=0.017). Furthermore, cognitive flexibility showed a significant positive effect on the health-promoting lifestyle (β=0.541, p<0.001). The indirect effect of cognitive fusion on the health-promoting lifestyle via cognitive flexibility was also negative and significant (β=-0.1087, p<0.001). Conclusion: Therefore, targeted interventions in the domain of cognitive fusion, through cognitive flexibility, can lead to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle in individuals and be effective in reducing the complications of cardiovascular diseases.
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