Does Positive Cognitive Reappraisal Moderate the Relationship Between Stress and Mental Well-Being?

Recent studies acknowledge the worsening mental well-being of higher education students, with stress consistently identified as a significant precursor. Despite this, little research investigates potential protective factors in this relationship. A non-clinical sample of 139 undergraduate students participated in this cross-sectional, correlational study. Online questionnaires were administered for self-assessment of perceived stress, perceived positive cognitive reappraisal and mental well-being. A moderation analysis revealed that stress was significantly negatively related to mental well-being and positive cognitive reappraisal was significantly positively related to mental well-being. However, contrary to the initial hypothesis, positive cognitive reappraisal did not moderate the association between stress and mental well-being. Implications suggest that employing strategies that increase the use of positive cognitive reappraisal may promote positive mental well-being among students. Moreover, findings offer potential improvements to how preventative interventions are developed and delivered.