LAUSR

OBJECTIVE This study explored the role of emotion regulation (ER) as a moderator in the stressor-adjustment outcome relationship while identifying the relevant stressors. METHODS In 214 adolescents (10-18 years; 51.4% boys), stressors (parent and peer relations, negative events), psychological outcomes (adolescent perceived stress, psychopathology symptoms, negative affect), and biological measures related to the stress response (hair cortisol [HC], heart rate variability [HRV]) as well as ER strategies-maladaptive (MalER), adaptive (AdER), and their ratio (Mal/AdER)-were measured and analyzed via linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS Parental rejection and bullying were the stressors with the strongest association with psychological outcomes (β range = |0.217-0.352|, p < .05). In addition, parental rejection was associated with HC (β = 0.242, p = .035), whereas none of the stressors were associated with HRV. MalER was linked to all, and AdER to most psychological outcomes (β range = |0.21-0.49|, p < .05). MalER, but not AdER, was associated with HC (β = 0.25, p = .009), whereas none of the ER strategy types were associated with HRV. Moreover, several associations between stressors and psychological outcomes were moderated by MalER and Mal/AdER, whereas AdER's role as a moderator was not confirmed. CONCLUSIONS The study confirmed that adolescents' stressors are associated with both psychological and physiological outcomes and moderated by MalER or Mal/AdER. The lack of moderation by AdER directs toward the maladaptive shift theory. Investigations through a longitudinal, rather than a cross-sectional design, could further elucidate the current observations. Moreover, training in how to use ER effectively has a potential of increasing adolescents' stress resilience.