Restrictive Emotionality in Relationship between Perceived Stress and Suicidal Ideation among Youth

The study was conducted at public and private universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. A purposive sample of 300 young adults aged 18–28 years participated in the study. Data were collected using a demographic information sheet and standardized questionnaires including the Difficulty in Emotional Regulation Scale (Victor et al., 2016), Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983), and Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale Modified (Darren Hedley et al., 2022). Statistical analyses included correlation, regression, mediation analysis using PROCESS v4.3 , t-tests, and ANOVA to examine demographic differences. Findings indicated that difficulty in emotional regulation was positively correlated with perceived stress and suicidal ideation. Mediation analysis revealed non-significant direct effects between perceived stress and suicidal ideation but significant associations with difficulty in emotional regulation. Males reported higher perceived stress and suicidal ideation compared to females, whereas females showed higher difficulty in emotional regulation. Some demographic variables showed significant differences, including residence and family system, while other results remained non-significant. The findings suggest that difficulty in emotional regulation plays an important role in understanding the association between perceived stress and suicidal ideation among youth. The study highlights the need for interventions focusing on emotional regulation skills to reduce stress-related suicidal thoughts. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research were discussed.