Abstract

High levels of emotional suppression are generally associated with poor psychological health and psychopathological symp- toms. However, cross-cultural studies have yielded mixed results, with suppression sometimes associated with positive out- comes in certain contexts. To address these inconsistencies, we examined whether emotion regulation goals moderate the re- lationship between suppression and psychological well-being. Data were gathered online from 368 college and graduate stu- dents at universities in Korea. The results revealed that contra-hedonic goals and instrumental goals significantly moderated the relationship, with higher levels of contra-hedonic and instrumental regulation goals attenuating the negative effects of suppression on psychological well-being. It is noteworthy that individuals who flexibly use emotional suppression in accor- dance with their goals may experience better psychological outcomes and various secondary benefits. These findings under- score the importance of considering the motivational aspects of emotion regulation to explain individual differences in the effects of emotional suppression on psychological health.