Regulatory emotional self-efficacy beliefs matter for (mal)adjustment: A meta-analysis

Regulatory emotional self-efficacy beliefs (RESE) in managing negative emotions and in expressing positive emotions are believed to play an important role in different spheres of psychological functioning. However, the literature does not offer a quantitative synthesis of the degree of the relation between RESE and indices of (mal)adjustment. The present study is a meta-analytic investigation of the relation between RESE and indices of maladjustment and adjustment. A total of 93 studies from 83 peer-reviewed international articles and 1 doctoral dissertation were included, for a total amount of 48,373 participants. RESE were negatively and significantly related to maladjustment (r = -.24). Conversely, RESE were positively and significantly related to adjustment (r = .35). Results seem not to be affected by publication bias and only a few moderating effects were documented. In conclusion, given the above results, RESE proved to be (among others) a valid marker of overall psychosocial functioning, both in its positive and negative facets.