Journal of Applied Psychological Research

The mediating role of emotion mindset in the relationship between stress mindset and students' cognitive load

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mohammad Reza Asadi Younesi 1
Farzin Malakooti 2
Zahra Mesbah Falatooni 3
Seyed Alireza Ghasemi 2

1 Department of psychology, Faculty of educational sciences and psychology, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

2 Master's student in Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

3 Master's student in Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/japr.2026.388877.645130
Abstract
Individuals' mindset towards stress and emotion as key factors play a decisive role in influencing students' cognitive load experience. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the mediating role of emotion mindset in the relationship between stress mindset and cognitive load. The method was descriptive-correlational Path analysis. The statistical population included all university students in Birjand, in the academic year 2024-2025. Using the stratified sampling method (girls and boys), 462 people were selected as the research sample from among eligible individuals and responded to the Stress Mindset (SMM), Implicit Theory of Emotion (ITES), and Cognitive Load (CLS) questionnaires. Pearson's correlation coefficient test and model fitting in SPSS & AMOS were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the correlation between stress mindset and emotion mindset with internal cognitive load and desirable cognitive load was positive and with external cognitive load was negative. An examination of all calculated fit indices indicated that the research model based on the mediating role of emotion mindset in the relationship between stress mindset and students' cognitive load had a favorable fit (P<0.05). The results, emphasize the importance of paying attention to stress and emotion mindsets in managing students' cognitive load.

Keywords

stress mindset
cognitive load
emotion mindset
students
Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 09 February 2026

  • Receive Date 16 January 2025
  • Revise Date 05 March 2025
  • Accept Date 12 April 2025
  • First Publish Date 09 February 2026
  • Publish Date 09 February 2026