Structural model of the relationship between socioeconomic status and decision-making styles with the mediation of cognitive emotion regulation

Decision-making styles in adolescence are of particular importance and can be influenced by the cognitive regulation of emotion and socioeconomic status. The present study was conducted to investigate the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation in the relationship between socio-economic status and decision-making styles.

This descriptive-correlational study was a structural equation modeling. A total of 723 secondary school students in Tehran , in the academic year 2020-2021, were selected by random cluster sampling method. They answered online the general decision-making scale (Scott & Bruce, 1995), socio-economic status questionnaire, and cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2007). Structural equation modeling method with AMOS and Pearson correlation statistical method with SPSS were used for data analysis.

The adaptive regulation of emotion had a positive correlation with the rational decision-making style and a negative correlation with the intuitive, dependent, avoidant and, spontaneous decision-making styles (p<0.01). The decision-making styles of dependent, avoidant, and spontaneous had a negative correlation with economic status (p<0.01). Also, the cognitive regulation of emotion had a mediating role in the relationship between socio-economic status and decision-making styles (p<0.01). Indirect effect of socio-economic status on spontaneous (β=-0.05), avoidance (β=-0.04), dependency (β=-0.03), and rational styles (β=-0.02) were significant (p<0.001). The fit indices also sohwed the proper fit of the model.

Based on the results of this study, programs can be designed to strengthen teenagers’ cognitive regulation of emotion and to improve their mentality about their socio-economic status in order to make their decisions.