Cognitive regulation of emotion and subjective well-being in adolescents: Is there a direct link?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify which are the most prevalent cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) in adolescents and how they are related to adolescent mental health (subjective well being and positive and negative affect). We also examine the possibility that positive and negative affect mediates relatonship between CERS and global subjective well-being. The research was conducted on a sample of 206 students, mean age 16 years. The results showed that the most common strategies in adolescents are positive reformulation and taking into perspective, which, together with planning and positive refocusing, are associated with positive mental health indicators (subjective well-bein and positive affect). Rumination, catastrophization, self-blame, and to a lesser extent, acceptance are associated with negative affectivity. The analysis of mediation singled out two strategies of cognitive emotional regulation that significantly predict subjective wellbeing: positive reformulation and self-blame. It was found that the relationship between positive reformulation and subjective well-being is governed partly directly, and partly mediated by positive affectivity. The results of the research also showed that the relationship between self-blame and global subjective well-being is exclusively establihed through negative affectivity as a mediator. In the light of the obtained results, some practical implications for interventions with adolescents have been formulated.