The link between dispositional mindfulness and emotion regulation in cancer patients from southeastern Nigeria: The mediating role of social support

Cancer poses significant emotional challenges, requiring effective emotion regulation (ER). This study examined the role of social support as a mediator between dispositional mindfulness (DM) and ER in cancer patients. A total of 330 patients from two university teaching hospitals in southeastern Nigeria participated. Measures included the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The result of the Structural Equation Modeling showed that DM was positively associated with cognitive reappraisal, while its total effect on expressive suppression was small. A significant indirect pathway was found from mindfulness to cognitive reappraisal via social support (β = 0.13, <i>t</i> = 4.30, <i>p</i> < 0.001), whereas no significant indirect effect emerged for expressive suppression. These findings underscore the importance of DM and social support in managing emotional challenges in cancer care, highlighting the need for interventions targeting these factors to enhance emotional well-being.