Pelin GÖKSEL, Ulaş KORKMAZ
Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine - 2026;9(3):603-607
Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional self-awareness and self-regulation among medical students and to evaluate the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in this relationship. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 151 medical students aged 18 years and older. Data were collected via an online survey using the Emotional Self-Awareness Scale (ESAS), the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Self-Regulation Scale (SRS). Relationships among variables were examined using correlation analyses, and the mediating role of cognitive flexibility was tested. Age and gender were controlled as covariates in the analyses. Results: Significant and positive relationships were found among emotional self-awareness, cognitive flexibility, and self-regulation. Mediation analysis revealed that cognitive flexibility played a partial mediating role in the effect of emotional self-awareness on self-regulation. The model explained approximately 50% of the variance in self-regulation, and the magnitude of the mediating effect of cognitive flexibility was large (K²=0.246). Subdimension analyses indicated that the control dimension of cognitive flexibility exhibited a stronger mediating effect compared to the alternatives dimension. Conclusion: The findings indicate that self-regulation among medical students is strengthened not only by emotional awareness itself but also by the cognitively flexible processing of this awareness. Cognitive flexibility, particularly through perceived control, can be considered a critical mechanism in transforming emotional self-awareness into functional self-regulatory behaviors.
