Understanding the Relationship Between Emotional Regulation and Coping Strategies Among Psychology Students

Abstract

The present study examines whether coping strategies (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant) mediate the relationship between emotion regulation strategies, specifically cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, in psychology students. The sample includes 109 undergraduate, postgraduate, and MPhil students from various Indian universities, aged 18 to 27 years. Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and Brief-COPE assess coping and emotion regulation strategies. Results show a strong positive relationship between emotion-focused coping and cognitive reappraisal. Cognitive reappraisal acts as a protective factor against avoidant coping, which is linked to higher stress. The findings suggest that adaptive emotion regulation strategies help manage stress. The chief conclusion is that cognitive reappraisal reduces reliance on avoidant coping.