The Relationship between Emotion regulation and School Adjustment among Chinese Students in South Korea: The Mediating Role of Peer Relationships

In the context of increasing international student mobility, this research investigates the critical role of emotion regulation in facilitating school adjustment among Chinese students studying in South Korea, with particular attention to how peer relationships contribute to this adaptive process.Selfreported data were collected using standardized psychological scales from 232 Chinese international students in South Korean universities.The study focused on three core aspects: individual emotion management capabilities, the quality of peer relationships, and multidimensional indicators of academic and social adaptation.Analysis of the survey responses confirmed a clear positive relationship between students' ability to regulate emotional responses and their overall success in adapting to the new educational environment.Importantly, the research identified peer relationships as an essential channel through which effective emotion regulation exerts its beneficial influence.Students demonstrating stronger emotional management skills were observed to establish more supportive peer networks, which enhanced their capacity to navigate academic challenges and cultural differences.These findings suggest that emotion regulation strategies directly improve personal adjustment outcomes and create social opportunities that further reinforce successful adaptation.Educational institutions should prioritize dualfocused support programs that combine training in emotional self-regulation techniques with structured opportunities for peer interaction.Such integrated approaches would enable international students to simultaneously develop crucial psychological resources and meaningful social connections, optimizing their academic experiences in cross-cultural educational settings.