Ego Depletion as a Mediating Variable in the Relationship Between Emotion Regulation and Mental Health Among Students at Tafila Technical University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35516/Hum.2026.9846Keywords:
Emotion Regulation, Mental Well-being, Ego Depletion, University Students.Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the levels of emotion regulation, mental well-being, and ego depletion among a sample of students at Tafila Technical University. Additionally, it examined the relationship between emotion regulation and both mental well-being and ego depletion, while also testing the mediating role of ego depletion in the relationship between emotion regulation and mental well-being.
Methods: A sample of 300 undergraduate students from various departments at Tafila Technical University participated in the study. Data were collected using the Arabic version of the Gross & John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (2003), the Arabic short version of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), and the Ego-Depletion Scale developed by Salmon et al. (2014). A descriptive-predictive approach was employed for analysis.
Results: The findings revealed that students tended to use cognitive reappraisal more frequently than expressive suppression when regulating emotions. The study also identified moderate to high levels of mental well-being and a moderate level of ego depletion among students. Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between emotion regulation, mental well-being, and ego depletion. The analysis confirmed the indirect effects of both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression on mental well-being through ego depletion, supporting the proposed mediating model.
Conclusions: The study highlights the need for counseling programs aimed at reducing ego depletion among university students to enhance their overall mental well-being.
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