Relación entre las dificultades en la regulación emocional y síntomas de depresión en estudiantes de básica superior y bachillerato del colegio Manuel J. Calle de Cuenca.

Abstract

Emotional regulation in adolescents has been widely associated with the onset of depressive symptoms, which highlights the need to understand how these variables interact in school settings. This study was developed to present the correlation between emotional regulation difficulties and depressive symptoms among students of Upper Basic Education and High School levels enrolled in the 2024–2025 school year. This research employed a non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach. The sample consisted of 105 students aged 11 to 18 years. Data were collected using the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive and correlational statistics were used for data analysis. The results demonstrated a positive moderate-to-strong correlation between emotional regulation difficulties and depressive symptoms (ρ=0.593, p<0.001). Adolescents who reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology also presented greater difficulties in emotional regulation, which aligns with previous research and underscores the importance of implementing intervention strategies to strengthen regulation skills in this population. In conclusion, emotional regulation difficulties indicate a statistically significant association with depressive symptoms in adolescents, suggesting their relevance in this context.