Investigating the mediating effects of insight between decentring and cognitive coping process

Abstract

The study aimed to test whether insight mediates decentering and cognitive coping processes in adaptive and maladaptive types. One hundred and fifty-five Chinese adult participants were recruited to complete an online survey, to report their level of decentering, insight, and cognitive coping strategies. The results of the simple regression analyses showed decentering positively predicted adaptive cognitive coping, and negatively predicted maladaptive cognitive coping process to a moderate degree. Mediation analyses revealed the mediating effect of insight only occurred in the relationship between decentering and maladaptive cognitive coping strategies, suggesting less decentering predicted greater maladaptive cognitive coping processes via a lower level of insight. The study contributed to the new understanding of the decentering mechanism of the cognitive coping process. Insight had a stronger effect on maladaptive cognitive coping than on adaptive cognitive coping strategies. The study provided recommendations to improve outcome effectiveness in mental health intervention.

Keywords: Cognitive coping process, cognition, decentering, insight, metacognitive