Investigation of the Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility, Emotion Regulation Skills and Depression Symptoms in Adult Individuals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35365/cjhs.26.1.01Keywords:
Depression, Emotion Regulation Skills, Psychological FlexibilityAbstract
The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between psychological flexibility, emotion regulation skills, and depression symptoms in adult individuals. The relational screening model was preferred in the study. The study population consisted of individuals residing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The study sample consisted of 400 participants aged 18 and over, selected using indiscriminate sampling. The Socio-Demographic Information Form, Psychological Flexibility Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory were used as data-collection tools in this study. The research findings revealed a significant negative relationship between psychological flexibility and difficulties in emotion regulation. Negative and significant relationships were found between psychological flexibility and the sub-dimensions of difficulties in emotion regulation, namely openness, impulse, strategies, and non-acceptance. In addition, negative and significant relationships were found between difficulties in emotion regulation and the sub-dimensions of psychological flexibility: values , behavior in line with values, being in the moment, acceptance, contextual self, and separation. These relationships reveal that as psychological flexibility increases, difficulty in emotion regulation decreases. A negative and significant relationship was also found between psychological flexibility and depression. Negative and significant relationships were found between depression and the sub-dimensions of psychological flexibility, which are values and behavior in line with values, being in the moment, acceptance, contextual self, and separation. These results show that as psychological flexibility increases, depression symptoms decrease. Based on the research results, it is recommended that interventions aimed at increasing psychological flexibility be disseminated to reduce individuals' depression symptoms and alleviate emotion regulation difficulties. It is important to actively use such interventions in both individual and group therapies.
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