The Effects of Emotion Regulation and Perceived Stress on Mental Health: A Study on a Turkish Sample

This study aimed to examine the effects of perceived stress and emotion regulation strategies on mental health among Turkish adults. Additionally, it explored the moderating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between perceived stress and mental health. Data were collected via an online survey from 305 Turkish adults (mean age = 36.3 years; 197 men, 105 women, 3 other/prefer not to say). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ- II). Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results showed a strong positive correlation between stress and psychological distress. Importantly, psychological flexibility significantly moderated this relationship, indicating that individuals with lower psychological flexibility experienced the negative effects of stress more strongly. Contrary to expectations, emotion regulation strategies were not significantly associated with either mental health outcomes or perceived stress. The findings of the current study were discussed in the light of the related literature.