Aim and Background: Cognitive emotion regulation is a kind of coping strategy that helps individuals in coping with trauma. The aim of this study was the investigation of the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and posttraumatic growth in men and women with hepatitis B. Methods and Materials: The statistical population of this study consisted of all men and women with hepatitis B in Hepatitis Research Center of Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. The study subjects were 250 patients with hepatitis B (125 men and 125 women). The participants were randomly selected and completed the Garnefski&rsquo;s Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and Tedeschi&rsquo;s and Calhon&rsquo;s Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software using the Pearson correlation and MANOVA. Findings: Posttraumatic growth had positive significant relationships with acceptance, refocusing on planning, positive reappraisal, and coping with perspective (r = 0.47 and P < 0.001, r = 0.21 and P = 0.001, r = 0.25 and P < 0001, and r = 0.38 and P < 0001, respectively). In addition, it had negative significant relationships with self-blame, blaming others, catastrophizing, and rumination (r = -0.38 and P < 0.001, r = -0.42 and P < 0.001, r = -0.60 and P < 0.001, and r = -0.14 and P = 0.021, respectively). Moreover, men used the strategies of positive refocusing, refocusing on planning, and positive reappraisal more than women. Women used the strategies of rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others more than men (P < 0001). Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that using adjusted cognitive emotion regulation increases posttraumatic growth in individuals with hepatitis B. Moreover, women with hepatitis B use maladjusted cognitive emotional regulation more than men. Therefore, the results of this research can be useful in the evaluation and improvement of the level of use of adaptive cognitive emotional regulation strategies. In future studies, emotional regulation strategies can be compared between patients with other chronic illnesses.

Keywords: Posttraumatic growth, Cognitive emotional regulation, Hepatitis B

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