A latent profile analysis of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in relation to negative emotions and NSSI among Chinese junior high school students

Abstract Background Little is known about the latent profiles of cognitive emotion regulation strategy (CERS) and its relationship with negative emotions and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) in Chinese junior high school students, although CERS is thought to be strongly associated with emotional-behavioral problems in adolescents. Methods A total of 2807 junior high school students in Yunnan Province, China, were selected for the study. They were measured with the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Questionnaire, and the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale. Latent profile analysis was used to explore latent profiles of CERS among students, and the one-way ANOVA or c 2 test was used to explore the relationship between the profiles and depression, anxiety, stress or NSSI. Results (1) Latent profile analysis revealed five CERS types: ‘Maladaptive group’ (32.25%), ‘Moderate adaptive-low maladaptive group’ (24.68%), ‘Rigid group’ (19.73%), ‘High adaptive-moderate maladaptive group’ (14.42%), and ‘Sensitive group’ (8.82%). (2) The multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that with increasing age ( OR = 0.812, 95% CI = 0.66–0.99, p < 0.05), junior high school students were less likely to be in the ‘Moderate adaptive-low maladaptive group’, and males ( OR = 0. 698, 95% CI = 0.52–0.94, p < 0.05) were less likely to be classified as ‘Moderate adaptive-low maladaptive group’; (3) ANOVA and c 2 test results showed that the differences between the different latent profiles of junior high school students on anxiety, depression, stress and NSSI indicators were statistically significant ( p < 0.05). The ‘Sensitive group’ had the highest risk of emotional-behavioral problems and the ‘Moderate adaptive-low maladaptive group’ had the lowest risk of emotional-behavioral problems. Conclusion Negative emotions and NSSI in junior high school students are closely related to their CERS profiles, and it is important to use targeted strategies to prevent and intervene in emotional-behavioral problems for individuals with different CERS subtypes.