The role of emotional flexibility in relationship between behavioral problems and coping strategies among late adolescence

The present study examined the relationship among emotional flexibility, behavioral problem and coping strategies among late adolescents and investigated the mediating role of emotional flexibility in the relationship between internalizing and externalizing behavioral problem and Adaptive and maladaptive copying strategies. A correlational research design was used with a sample of N=200 late adolescent’s age 17 to 19 years, including 97 males and 103 females, selected through convenience sampling from different educational institute. Data were collected using a demographic information sheet, Emotional flexibility scale (EFS), Behavioral problem scale (BPS) and brief COPE inventory. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Independence sample test, pearson correlation and mediation analysis through process model 4 with 5,000 bootstrap samples. Finding indicate the males reported significantly higher behavioral problem than females. Significant difference was also found according to the institutional type, with private institute student reporting higher behavioral problem scores, whereas government institute student reported higher coping strategies score. Emotional flexibility significantly predict adaptive copying strategies was significantly negative associated with externalizing behavioral problem. However, emotional flexibility did not significantly mediate with relationship between internalizing or externalizing behavioral problem and adaptive or maladaptive copy as the booster confidence interval for the indirect effect included zero. Overall, the finding suggests the emotional flexibility associate with adolescent coping and behavioral functioning but does not significantly explain the relationship between behavioral problem and copying strategies in the present sample.