The Relationship Between Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Life Satisfaction in Nursing Students: A Multicenter Descriptive Study

Objective: The study aimed to determine the association between cognitive emotion regulation and life satisfaction among nursing students.

Methods: This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design. The sample consisted of 417 students studying at 3 different universities. The data were collected between March and May 2025 using the personal information form, the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, and parametric tests, including indepen- dent samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analysis, were performed.

Results: The average age of the students was 20.98 ± 2.04 years. The mean score for the self-blame sub-dimension was 11.62 ± 2.61, acceptance was 12.21 ± 2.65, rumination was 13.91 ± 3.19, positive refocusing was 12.05 ± 2.50, and refocus on planning was 14.10 ± 3.12, positive reappraisal was 13.97 ± 3.12, putting into perspective was 12.55 ± 2.66, catastrophizing was 10.48 ± 3.17, other blame was 10.87 ± 2.86, and for the Satisfaction with Life Scale was 13.57 ± 3.96. According to the correlation analysis, a statistically significant weak positive relationship was found between the positive refocusing (r = 0.117, P = .017, %95 CI = 0.015, 0.210), refocus on planning (r = 0.201, P < .001, %95 CI = 0.097, 0.298), and positive reappraisal (r = 0.195, P < .001, %95 CI = 0.096, 0.295) subscales of the CERQ and the SWLS. In con- trast, a statistically significant weak negative relationship was found between the catastrophizing (r = −0.147, P = .003, %95 CI = −0.248, −0.033) subscale of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (P < .05).

Conclusion: In the study, statistically significant relationships were found between life satisfaction and some subscales of the cognitive emotion regulation scale. Considering the positive association between life satisfaction and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation, these strategies may have a supportive role in students’ subjective well-being. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are recommended.

Cite this article as: Çaynak S, Göktaş A, Arslan BŞ. The relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and life satisfaction in nursing students: a multicenter descriptive study. Arch Health Sci Res. 2026, 13, 0003, doi: 10.5152/ArcHealthSciRes.2026.26003.