A Causal Model of Anxiety Symptoms Based on Perceived Social Support and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation: The Mediating Role of Ego Strength Among Afghan Nationals
Keywords:
anxiety, perceived social support, difficulties in emotion regulation, ego strength, Afghan nationalsAbstract
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems. In addition to emotional factors, supportive resources and individuals’ psychological capacities play a determining role in its development and persistence. The present study aimed to evaluate a causal model of anxiety symptoms based on perceived social support and difficulties in emotion regulation, with ego strength as a mediator, among Afghan nationals. This study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population comprised all Afghan women and men living in Tehran during 2024–2025. From this population, 204 individuals were selected through stratified sampling and completed the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the Ego Strength Scale. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in AMOS version 26. The results indicated that the proposed model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data and explained 47% of the variance in anxiety symptoms, indicating the central role of the variables included in the model in explaining anxiety. Within the structural relationships of the model, perceived social support played a determining role in strengthening ego strength and explained approximately 41% of its variance. In contrast, ego strength had a significant negative effect on anxiety symptoms, whereas difficulties in emotion regulation had a significant positive effect on anxiety. Perceived social support also exerted a significant indirect effect on anxiety symptoms through increased ego strength, while difficulties in emotion regulation exerted a significant indirect effect through reduced ego strength. Overall, the pattern of findings indicates that perceived social support, ego strength, and difficulties in emotion regulation are three central components in explaining anxiety symptoms. These results emphasize the simultaneous importance of external supportive resources and internal psychological capacities in understanding the structure of anxiety among Afghan nationals.
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