Effects of Optimism on Subjective Well-being of Recruits in Training and Study on the Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

JIN Zihao; LAI Han; HAO Wen; ZHAO Aijun; CHEN Gongjin; PENG Li; LI Min

doi:10.13730/j.issn.2097-2148.2025.02.010

Abstract：Objective To explore the relationship between optimism and subjective well-being(including affective and cognitive well-being)and the role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in it among recruits during intensive train-ing.Methods The revised life orientation test-revised(LOT-R),positive and negative affect scale(PANAS),satisfaction with life scale(SWLS)and cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire(CERQ)were administered to 2 247 recruits enrolled in the same batch.Results The re-cruits'optimism was positively correlated with affective well-being,cognitive well-being and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies(r=0.536,0.425,0.220,allP＜0.01),and negatively correlated with non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies(r=-0.325,P＜0.01).The results of the regression analysis showed that,after controlling for demographic variables such as age,gender,education-al level and whether they were only child,when adaptive and non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies entered the regression equation to predict affective well-being and cognitive well-being at the same time,both optimistic and adap-tive cognitive emotion regulation strategies could positively predict affective well-being(β=1.146,0.358,all P＜0.001)and cognitive well-being(β=0.432,0.132,all P＜0.001),non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies could negatively predict affective well-being(β=-0.543,P＜0.001)and cognitive well-being(β=-0.182,P＜0.001).The results of the mediation analysis showed that the direct effect of optimism on affective well-being was significant,with an effect value of 1.146[95％confidence interval(CI):1.031-1.262],and the percentage of the direct effect was 60.57％;the mediation effects of both adaptive and non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies were significant,with effect values of 0.244(95％CI:0.191-0.299),0.502(95％CI:0.429-0.579),and the proportion of mediating effect was 32.71％and 67.29％respectively,and the mediating effect of non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strate-gy was larger than that of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy.The direct effect of optimism on cognitive well-being was significant,with an effect value of 0.432(95％CI:0.368-0.495)and the percentage of direct effect was 62.61％;the mediation of both adaptive and non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies was significant,with effect values of 0.090(95％CI:0.068-0.114),0.168(95％CI:0.139-0.202),with mediation effects of 34.88％and 65.12％respectively,and the mediation effect of non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies was greater than the mediation effect of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy.Conclusion The optimism of recruits not only positively affects their subjective well-being directly,but also indirectly affects subjective well-being through adaptive and non-adap-tive cognitive emotion regulation strategies respectively,and the mediating effect is more likely to affect subjective well-being through the use of fewer non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies.This study suggests that future psy-chological training aimed at improving optimism can be applied during intensive training,and that subjective well-being of recruits can be enhanced by fostering their rational use of emotion regulation strategies,providing new insights into men-tal health maintenance for recruits.