EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENT YOUTH IN KAZAKHSTAN: SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL VERIFICATION IN A CROSS-CULTURAL CONTEXT

Abstract

The present study examines cross-cultural characteristics of emotion regulation and their role in shaping the emotional well-being of students studying in a multicultural educational environment. The aim of the study was to identify differences between Kazakhstani and international students in emotion regulation, emotional self-efficacy, affective experiences, and perceived social support, as well as to determine the contribution of these indicators to emotional well-being. The study involved 212 respondents - Kazakhstani and international students studying at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Standardized instruments were used for assessment: the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) by J. Gross and O. John, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Statistical data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 and included descriptive statistics, comparative and correlational analyses, as well as multiple regression analysis. The results showed that positive affect, negative affect, and perceived social support were the most significant predictors of emotional well-being (R² = 0.75; p < 0.001). Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, however, did not make a statistically significant direct contribution to emotional well-being. The findings broaden the understanding of factors associated with students’ emotional well-being in a cross-cultural educational environment and may be used in developing psychological support programs and interventions aimed at preventing emotional burnout.