Introduction: Pregnancy is a natural event in women's lives, but requires a series of physiological adaptations and compliances. Quality adjustment to these changes may put women at risk for psychological problems. Considering the effective role of cognitive regulation strategies of emotion, psychological hardiness and optimism in coping of individual with different situations and stressful conditions, the present study aimed to investigate the role of cognitive regulation strategies of emotion, psychological hardiness and optimism in predicting death anxiety in women who are in their third trimester of pregnancy.

Methods: The present study was descriptive and correlational. The studied sample consisted of 220 pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy whom were selected by convenient sampling method from Shiraz city. Data were collected using Persian Short form Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Ahvaz Psychological Hardiness Scale, Life Orientation Test (LOT) and 15-items Templer Death Anxiety Scale. Data were subjected to analysis with descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation coefficient and stepwise regression).

Results: Mean and SD were 8.2 (2.7 for death anxiety, 54.95 (7.6 for cognitive emotion regulation, 46.68 (10.07 for psychological hardiness, and 16.05 (3.87 for optimism. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that cognitive emotion regulation, psychological hardiness and optimism were correlated with death anxiety, whereby there was significant and positive correlation in catastrophizing, self-blame and focus on thought with death anxiety. In addition, there was a significant reverse correlation in positive reappraisal, refocus on planning, hardness and optimism with death anxiety. The relationships of other-blame, putting into perspective, positive refocusing and acceptance with death anxiety were not significant. Regression analysis showed that psychological hardiness (B = -0.06), optimism (B = -0.20) and catastrophizing (B = 0.35) were the significant predictors of death anxiety.

Conclusions: Results showed that cognitive emotion regulation strategies, psychological hardiness and optimism can be appropriate strategies to reduce and control death anxiety among pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy.