Investigation of the Relationship between Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies and Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Students

The present study investigated the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and depression, anxiety and stress in students through using descriptive correlational research method. To do so, throughrandom cluster sampling, 235 students(102 boys and 133 girls) of Payame Noor University with the average age of 23/31 and a standard deviation of 2/53 were selected and then completed cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ) and depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21). Data was analyzed by using multivariate analysis of variance and correlation matrix. Results indicated a negative relationship between depression and positive refocusing, between planning and positive reappraisal. Moreover, there was a positive relationship between depression, anxiety, stress and all of the maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (other blame, self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing and acceptance). Among the components of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, there was no significant difference between male and female students, except rumination. There was also no difference between male and female students in depression, anxiety and stress. Considering the above mentioned results, it seems that cognitive emotion regulation training focused on positive refocusing, planning and positive reappraisal is very essential to enhance the physical, mental and social health of students