Emotional Regulation and Subjective Well-Being in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Jonathan Martínez-Líbano; Axel Kosch Serey; Guillermo Barahona-Fuentes

doi:10.56508/mhgcj.v8i1.240

Authors

Jonathan Martínez-Líbano Universidad Andrés Bello https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0774-2691
Axel Kosch Serey Universidad Andrés Bello https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7449-7265
Guillermo Barahona-Fuentes Universidad de las Américas https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4913-9321

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56508/mhgcj.v8i1.240

Keywords:

Emotional Regulation, Subjective Well-being, Adolescents, mental health

Abstract

Introduction: Emotional regulation and its relationship with subjective well-being are relevant phenomena to study, especially during adolescence, a critical period marked by significant changes in mental health and social development. These antecedents underscore the importance of studying how emotional regulation can act as a protective factor for adolescents' subjective well-being.
Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the impact of emotional regulation on adolescents' subjective well-being.
Methodology: The search was conducted following the PRISMA methodology in the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Scielo databases, and the methodological quality was also assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
Results: A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria, highlighting that adaptive emotional regulation strategies, particularly cognitive reappraisal and acceptance, are consistently associated with higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness, and self-esteem. Moreover, these strategies act as protective factors against depression, anxiety, and emotional distress. Studies employing longitudinal designs suggest that emotional regulation fosters resilience and improves adolescents' long-term well-being. Conversely, maladaptive strategies such as rumination and suppression were linked to lower subjective well-being and increased psychological distress.
Conclusions: The findings underscore the critical role of emotional regulation in fostering adolescent well-being. Specifically, interventions that promote cognitive reappraisal and acceptance may enhance psychological resilience and overall life satisfaction. Future research should explore the long-term effects of emotional regulation training and its integration into educational and clinical settings to support adolescent mental health

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