Factors affecting and the strategies to enhance emotional regulation among adolescents in South Asian countries: a systematic review | BMC Public Health
WHO. Mental health of adolescents – World Health Organization (WHO). 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
Blakemore SJ, Mills KL. Is adolescence a sensitive period for sociocultural processing? Annu Rev Psychol. 2014;65:187–207.
Google Scholar
McRae K, Gross JJ. Emotion regulation. Emotion. 2020;20:1–9.
Google Scholar
Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: current status and future prospects. Psychol Inq. 2015;26:1–26.
Google Scholar
Aldao A, Jazaieri H, Goldin PR, Gross JJ. Adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies: interactive effects during CBT for social anxiety disorder. J Anxiety Disord. 2014;28:382–9.
Google Scholar
Hassanzadeh-Avval M, Mashhadi A, Suveg C, Bigdeli I, Amin Yazdi SA, Rafi MA. Combined emotional socialization training and family accommodation modification: impact on emotional regulation and anxiety symptoms in anxious children. Behav Ther. 2022;53:281–93.
Google Scholar
Yong GH, Lin M-H, Toh T-H, Marsh NV. Social-emotional development of children in Asia: a systematic review. Behav Sci. 2023;13:123.
Google Scholar
WHO. Adolescent mental health. 2024. Accessed 10 Nov 2024.
Mudunna C, Weerasinghe M, Tran T, Antoniades J, Romero L, Chandradasa M, et al. Nature, prevalence and determinants of mental health problems experienced by adolescents in South asia: a systematic review. Lancet Reg Heal – Southeast Asia. 2025;33:1–13.
Issac M. Mental health services in South Asia past, present and future. South Asian J Psychiatry. 2011;2:4–11.
Pachori S. Conflicts in South Asia – challenges to SAARC regionalism. Int J Res Geogr. 2019;5:34–41.
Gautham MS, Gururaj G, Varghese M, Benegal V, Rao GN, Kokane A, et al. The National Mental Health Survey of India (2016): Prevalence, socio-demographic correlates and treatment gap of mental morbidity. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2020;66:361–72.
Google Scholar
Sapien Labs. Mental State of India: The internet enabled youth. 2023.
NCRB. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). 2020. Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Cheboi AJ, Kalanda BF. Assessment of adolescents (10–19 years) well-being in Afghanistan: analysis based on multiple indicator cluster surveys 2022-23. Asian J Adv Res Rep. 2024;18:202–15.
Google Scholar
Thomas FC, Coulombe S, Girard TA, Hart TL, Doherty S, Dass G, et al. Displacement-related stressors in a Sri Lankan war-affected community: identifying the impact of war exposure and ongoing stressors on trauma symptom severity. SSM. 2022;2:100129.
Siriwardhana C. Mental health of displaced and returnee populations: insight from the Sri Lankan post-conflict experience. Confl Health. 2015;9:2–4.
Google Scholar
Mahmood J. The Silent Struggles of Adolescents in the Maldives: A Call for Urgent Attention. 2025. https://maldivespolicythinktank.com/the-silent-struggles-of-adolescents-in-the-maldives-a-call-for-urgent-attention/
Migration W. Migration research and analysis: Growth, reach and recent contributions. 2019.
Willmot RA, Sharp RA, Amir Kassim A, Parkinson JA. A scoping review of community-based mental health intervention for children and adolescents in South Asia. Glob Ment Heal. 2023;10:1-18.
Compas BE, Jaser SS, Dunn MJ, Rodriguez EM. Coping with chronic illness in childhood and adolescence. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2012;8:455–80.
Google Scholar
Türk-Kurtça T, Kocatürk M. The role of childhood traumas, emotional self-efficacy and internal-external locus of control in predicting psychological resilience. Int J Educ Lit Stud. 2020;8:105.
Zhou Q, Chen SH, Main A. Commonalities and differences in the research on children’s effortful control and executive function: a call for an integrated model of self-regulation. Child Dev Perspect. 2012;6:112–21.
Google Scholar
Raval VV, Ward RM, Raval PH, Trivedi SS. Reports of adolescent emotion regulation and school engagement mediating the relation between parenting and adolescent functioning in India. Int J Psychol. 2018;53:439–48.
Google Scholar
Dash SS, Verma SK. A psycho-social study on the role of parenting and emotional regulation on intergenerational support: an youth perspective. Indian J Posit Psychol. 2017;8:591–7.
Dubey D, Kewalramani S, Sanyal S. Cultural perspective on emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns among adolescents in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Ann Neurosci. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1177/09727531241254154.
Google Scholar
Zenner C, Herrnleben-Kurz S, Walach H. Mindfulness-based interventions in schools-A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol. 2014;5 JUN:1–20.
Durlak JA, Weissberg RP, Dymnicki AB, Taylor RD, Schellinger KB. The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: a meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Dev. 2011;82:405–32.
Google Scholar
Greenberg MT. Evidence for social and emotional learning in schools. Learn Policy Inst. 2023;March:1–8.
Sethi SS, Jain K. AI technologies for social emotional learning: recent research and future directions. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning. 2024;17:213–25.
Google Scholar
Mitsea E, Drigas A, Skianis C. Digitally assisted mindfulness in training Self-Regulation skills for sustainable mental health: A systematic review. Behav Sci (Basel). 2023;13.
WHO. World mental health report: Transforming mental health for all. 2021.
UNICEF. State of the World’s Children: Children, food and nutrition. 2020.
Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021;372:n71.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. (SAARC). https://www.saarc-sec.org/
Ouzzani M, Hammady H, Fedorowicz Z, Elmagarmid A. Rayyan—a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Syst Rev. 2016;5:210.
Google Scholar
Lockwood C, Porrit K, Munn Z, Rittenmeyer L, Salmond S, Bjerrum M, et al. Systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. Joanna Briggs Inst Rev Man Adelaide Joanna Briggs Inst. 2017.
JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. JBI. 2002. https://jbi.global/critical-appraisal-tools
Hong QN, Fàbregues S, Bartlett G, Boardman F, Cargo M, Dagenais P, et al. The mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) version 2018 for information professionals and researchers. Educ Inf. 2018;34:285–91.
Ramaiya MK, McLean CL, Pokharel M, Thapa K, Schmidt MA, Berg M, et al. Feasibility and acceptability of a school-based emotion regulation prevention intervention (READY-Nepal) for secondary school students in post-earthquake Nepal. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114497.
Google Scholar
Zafar H, Debowska A, Boduszek D. Emotion regulation difficulties and psychopathology among Pakistani adolescents. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2021;26:121–39.
Google Scholar
Kaul K, Konantambigi R, Anant S. Child temperament and emotion socialization by parents and its influence on emotion regulation by children. J Indian Assoc Child Adolesc Ment Heal. 2019;15:13–33.
Batool S, Shafiq S. Self-regulation as mediator in peer relationship, rejection sensitivity with positive development among adolescents. Khyber Med Univ J. 2022;14:245–50.
Iqbal F, Naqvi G, Saleem S, Zahra ST. Mothers’ overprotection and eating problems in college students: a mediating role of emotion dysregulation. J Postgrad Med Inst. 2023;37:46–52.
Google Scholar
Akhtar S, Bano Z. Role of mothers’ expressed emotions in psychopathology and Social- emotional competence in adolescents. Pakistan Armed Forces Med J. 2023;73:1411–3.
Singh R, Singh B, Mahato S, Hambour VK. Social support, emotion regulation and mindfulness: a linkage towards social anxiety among adolescents attending secondary schools in birgunj, Nepal. PLoS ONE. 2020;15:1–11.
BorthakurP, Sudhesh NT. Emotional regulation as a predictor of peer relationship and assertiveness among adolescents. Int J Life Ski Educ. 2019;5:5–20.
Singh G. A study of romantic relationship parental attachment emotional regulation and life satisfaction among adolescents.2022;6(11):951-952.
Natso P, George LS, Cu J. Level of anger, coping and factors influences anger amongst adolescents. Indian J Forensic Med Toxicol. 2018;12:65–70.
Google Scholar
Uddin MK, Rahman J. Cyber Victimization and Cyber Aggression among High School Students: Emotion Regulation as a Moderator. Cyberpsychology J Psychosoc Res Cybersp. 2022;16.
Singh P, Singh A. Emotion regulation difficulties and health-risk behaviours in adolescents. Behav Change. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2022.5.
Google Scholar
Singh P. Perceived parenting practices and health-risk behaviours among Indian adolescents: the mediating role of emotion-regulation difficulties. J Child Fam Stud. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02950-8.
Google Scholar
Gunawardena T, Schuck N. Effect of parental emotion regulation ability and parent-child attachment on adolescent’s emotion regulation ability in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka J Child Health. 2021;50:622–9.
Google Scholar
Saleem T, Gul S. Use of emotion regulation strategies across family systems. Int J Ment Health. 2018;47:228–35.
Google Scholar
Sia SK, Aneesh A. Single-parent adolescents’ resilience and psychological well-being: the role of social competence and emotion regulation. J Indian Assoc Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2024;20:205–11.
Tanveer N, Tariq F, Hussain M. Emotional, dysregulation. Coping strategies and post-traumatic stress symptoms among adolescents living at line of control (LOC). Psychiatr Danub. 2023;35:328–34.
Google Scholar
Singh P, Singh N. Difficulties in emotion regulation: a barrier to academic motivation and performance. J Indian Acad Appl Psychol. 2013;39:289–97.
Janjhua Y, Chaudhary R, Sharma N, Kumar K. A study on effect of yoga on emotional regulation, self-esteem, and feelings of adolescents. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9:3381.
Google Scholar
Chaudhari G, Bagul SS. Role of Life Skills Training Program on Emotional Competence of Adolescents. Int J Indian Psychol. 2021;9:1984–91.
Agarwal N, Jain S, Saloni. The impact of the emotion regulation intervention program on Cognitive-emotional strategies among adolescent girls. Indian J Posit Psychol. 2023;14:291–5.
Tripathi S. Mental health in South Asia: a growing cause for concern. The Round Table. 2023;112:195–6.
Google Scholar
Karasz A, Gany F, Escobar J, Flores C, Prasad L, Inman A, et al. Mental health and stress among South Asians. J Immigr Minor Health. 2019;21:7–14.
Google Scholar
Goagoses N, Bolz T, Eilts J, Schipper N, Schütz J, Rademacher A, et al. Parenting dimensions/styles and emotion dysregulation in childhood and adolescence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Curr Psychol. 2023;42:18798–822.
Google Scholar
Ho E, Joormann J, Kober H, Gadassi Polack R. Social reorientation of emotion regulation: Changing roles of family and peers during adolescence. 2024.
AKA BT. Cultural dimensions of emotion regulation. Psikiyatr Güncel Yaklaşımlar. 2023;15:441–50.
Google Scholar
Koydemir S, Essau CA. Cultural and Social Aspects of Emotion Regulation. In: Emotion Regulation and Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents. Oxford University Press; 2017. p. 60–78.
Rosharudin NA, Hoesni SM, Mohd Ali M, Khairuddin KF. Parenting factors and emotion regulation among Asian adolescents: a systematic review. Int J Acad Res Bus Soc Sci. 2023. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i11/19492.
Google Scholar
Zaid SM, Hutagalung FD, Abd Hamid HS, Bin, Taresh SM. Sadness regulation strategies and measurement: A scoping review. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(8 August):1–25.
Mitic M, Woodcock KA, Amering M, Krammer I, Stiehl KAM, Zehetmayer S, et al. Toward an integrated model of supportive peer relationships in early adolescence: a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis. Front Psychol. 2021;12:1–28.
Google Scholar
Domínguez-Hernández F, Bonell L, Martínez-González A. A systematic literature review of factors that moderate bystanders’ actions in cyberbullying. Cyberpsychology J Psychosoc Res Cybersp. 2018;12(4).
De Neve D, Bronstein MV, Leroy A, Truyts A, Everaert J. Emotion regulation in the classroom: a network approach to model relations among emotion regulation difficulties, engagement to learn, and relationships with peers and teachers. J Youth Adolesc. 2023;52(2):273–86.
Google Scholar
Taylor RD, Oberle E, Durlak JA, Weissberg RP. Promoting positive youth development through school-based social and emotional learning interventions: a meta-analysis of follow-up effects. Child Dev. 2017;88:1156–71.
Google Scholar
Kothgassner OD, Goreis A, Robinson K, Huscsava MM, Schmahl C, Plener PL. Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescent self-harm and suicidal ideation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2021;51(7):1057–67.
Google Scholar
McCoy DC, Hanno EC. Systemic barriers and opportunities for implementing school-based social–emotional learning interventions in low-income and conflict-affected settings. Front Psychol. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1011039.
Google Scholar
Lendrum A, Humphrey N, Wigelsworth M. Social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) for secondary schools: implementation difficulties and their implications for school-based mental health promotion. Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2013;18:158–64.
Google Scholar
Goldberg JM, Sklad M, Elfrink TR, Schreurs KMG, Bohlmeijer ET, Clarke AM. Effectiveness of interventions adopting a whole school approach to enhancing social and emotional development: a meta-analysis. Eur J Psychol Educ. 2019;34:755–82.
Google Scholar
Saeed SA, Masters RMR. Disparities in health care and the digital divide. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2021;23:1–6.
Google Scholar
Zahn–Waxler C, Klimes-Doughan B, Slattery MJ. Internalizing problems of childhood and adolescence: prospects, pitfalls, and progress inunderstanding the development of anxiety and depression. Dev Psychopathol. 2000;12:443–66.
Google Scholar
Achenbach TM, Rescorla LA. Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms and profiles. Burlington, Vermont: University of Vermont. Res Cent Child Youth, Fam.; 2001.
Eisenberg N, Spinrad TL, Eggum ND. Emotion-related self-regulation and its relation to children’s maladjustment. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2010;6:495–525.
Google Scholar
Babu N, Fatima M. In: Deb S, Gerrard BA, editors. Adolescent health and Well-Being: issues, challenges, and current status in India BT – Handbook of health and Well-Being: challenges, strategies and future trends. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore; 2022. pp. 157–78.
Shah T, Prajapati B, Shah V. Situational analysis of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram at one of the districts of Gujarat. Indian J Community Med. 2022;47:543–8.
Google Scholar
Vithana C, Lokubalasooriya A, Pragasan G, Mahagamage KL, Nanayakkara K, Herath HP, et al. Effectiveness of an educational intervention to promote psychosocial well-being of school-going adolescents in Sri Lanka. BMC Public Health. 2023;23:1–14.
Google Scholar
Jayasekara TH. Empowering adolescents: the crucial role of school guidance and counselling services in addressing educational challenges in Sri Lanka. Muall J Soc Sci Humanit. 2024;8:16–26.
MoHP. Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population. National Mental Health Strategy and Action Plan 2020. 2020. https://www.mohp.gov.np
CMC- Nepal. Status of school mental health program implementation and advocacy. School Mental Health Program (January 2022 – December 2025). 2025.
Laurenzi CA, du Toit S, Mawoyo T, Luitel NP, Jordans MJD, Pradhan I et al. Development of a school-based programme for mental health promotion and prevention among adolescents in Nepal and South Africa. SSM – Ment Heal. 2024;5 December 2023:100289.
Song H, Chan JS, Ryan C. Differences and similarities in the use of nine emotion regulation strategies in Western and East-Asian cultures: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Cross-Cult Psychol. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221241285006.
Google Scholar
Jadhakhan F, Blake H, Hett D, Marwaha S. Efficacy of digital technologies aimed at enhancing emotion regulation skills: literature review. Front Psychiatry. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.809332.
Google Scholar
Weng X, Gao MM, Cao H, Han ZR. Linking parent-adolescent congruence in perceived parental emotional support to adolescent developmental outcomes: the more, the better?? J Youth Adolesc. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-02081-9.
Google Scholar
Evans GW, Kim P, Childhood Poverty C, Stress. Self-Regulation, and coping. Child Dev Perspect. 2013;7:43–8.
Google Scholar
Patel V, Flisher AJ, Nikapota A, Malhotra S. Promoting child and adolescent mental health in low and middle income countries. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008;49:313–34.
Google Scholar
link
