A Study of the Relationship between Regulation of Positive and Negative Emotions and Academic Performance and Burnout among University Students

The present research aims to study the relationship between regulating positive and negative emotions and the academic performance and burnout among university students. This was a descriptive-correlational research. Using cluster random sampling method, 400 subjects (including 200 males and 200 females) were selected from among undergraduate students at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili during the academic year 2011-2012. The data was collected using the Academic Burnout Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The participants’ academic average grade was used to measure their academic performance. The Pierson's Correlation Coefficient and MANOVA were used to analyze the data. Pierson's Correlation Coefficient showed a significant correlation between regulation of positive and negative emotions and students’ performance and academic burnout. Moreover, the analysis of variance results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of regulation of positive emotions and academic burnout. Regulation of positive emotions was stronger among female students, and consequently, their academic burnout was less than that of male students. However, no significant correlation was found between the two groups regarding negative emotions and academic performance.