The relationship between negative perfectionism, emotional competence, suppression and distress symptoms among Croatian university students

Rastuća populacija studenata smatra se rizičnom za razvoj mentalnih poteškoća. Ličnost i strategije regulacije emocija predstavljaju neke od čimbenika čiju je ulogu u pojavi simptoma uznemirenosti važno istražiti. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati odnos osobina negativnog perfekcionizma, emocionalne kompetentnosti i korištenja strategije potiskivanja emocionalnog doživljaja kao vrste emocionalne regulacije, te pojavu simptoma komorbiditeta depresije, anksioznosti i stresa kod studenata u Hrvatskoj kroz dva medijacijska modela. Korišteni mjerni instrumenti za neklinički uzorak od 253 studenata bili su Ljestvica pozitivnog i negativnog perfekcionizma (PNPS), Upitnik emocionalne regulacije (ERQ), Upitnik emocionalne kompetentnosti (UEK-45) te Ljestvica depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa (DASS-21). Rezultati su pokazali na pozitivnu povezanost negativnog perfekcionizma sa strategijom potiskivanja i simptomima opće uznemirenosti, te negativnu povezanost s emocionalnom kompetentnosti. Emocionalna kompetentnost bila je djelomično medijator u odnosu negativnog perfekcionizma i potiskivanja, dok smo u pretpostavljenoj medijaciji potiskivanja u odnosu negativnog perfekcionizma i stresne simptomatike pronašli samo izravan utjecaj prediktora i ne potvrđujemo medijaciju.The growing population of students is considered to be at risk for developing certain mental health issues. In order to understand the occurrence of distress symptoms, it is important to explore the factors of emotion regulation strategies and personality. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between negative perfectionism traits, emotional competence and emotion suppression, and to examine whether emotional suppression mediates the relationship of negative perfectionism and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among Croatian University students. The study was conducted on a non-clinical sample of 253 students using four instruments: Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale (PNPS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Emotional Competence Questionnaire (UEK-45) and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The results show that negative perfectionism was positively correlated with emotion suppression and distress, and negatively correlated with emotional competence. Emotional competence partially mediated the relationship between negative perfectionism and emotion suppression. However, the indirect effect of negative perfectionism through emotion suppression on distress symptoms was insignificant, precluding mediation