Lower Psychological Distress Research Articles

Psychological distress and life satisfaction among Black working adults in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted Black Americans. Rates of hospitalization, mortality, and morbidity increased and racial inequities in unemployment, job benefits, and working conditions widened. This study identifies specific factors associated with the well-being of Black adults in the U.S. workforce one year into the pandemic. MethodsData came from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (N = 1,984). Ordinary least squares regressions were computed to identify correlates of psychological distress and life satisfaction among Black adults in the workforce two weeks prior to the survey. ResultsBlack workers experienced significant distress. Life satisfaction was particularly low among those who provided direct medical care. Having a job with paid sick leave was consistently associated with lower psychological distress. Low household food security was associated with higher psychological distress and with lower life satisfaction. Social support was positively associated with well-being. ConclusionThese findings have important implications for health in Black communities and for recruiting and retaining Black workers in the health care system. Supporting Black physicians matters for their mental health amidst growing rates of suicide in this population. As policymakers continue to develop and legislate policies to promote recovery from the social, economic, and health consequences of the pandemic, attention to how these policies will support all Black workers is critical.

Psychological distress in a sample of predominately white female college students: the role of mindfulness and physical activity

Objective: Framed in Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, this study examined the moderating effects of mindfulness and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the relationship between behavioral inhibition system (BIS) sensitivity and psychological distress in college students. Participants: Undergraduate students (n = 183) at a large public university in the United States were included in the study. Methods: Self-reported BIS sensitivity, mindfulness, MVPA, and psychological distress were examined in November 2021. Results: Findings revealed a positive relationship between BIS sensitivity and psychological distress, however, this relationship was conditional on levels of mindfulness and MVPA. Specifically, increased reports of mindfulness and MVPA related to lower psychological distress for participants with higher than average BIS sensitivity. Conclusions: Mindfulness and MVPA are buffers for university students prone to psychological distress. Identifying diverse strategies that effectively lower psychological vulnerabilities in college students can be used to develop targeted interventions that reduce psychopathology and promote mental health.

Psychological need satisfaction across work and personal life: an empirical test of a comprehensive typology.

A comprehensive typology of the satisfaction of psychological needs at work and in personal life was developed and tested. The typology proposes five scenarios (Enriched, Middling, Impoverished, Work-Fulfilled, and Personal Life-Fulfilled) accounting for various profiles of employees showing distinct configurations of global and specific levels of need satisfaction at work and in personal life. The scenarios were tested in a sample of 1,024 employees. Using latent profile analysis, five profiles were identified that were consistent with four or the five scenarios, either aligned (Globally Satisfied, Globally Unsatisfied) or misaligned (Globally Satisfied at Work with High Relatedness, Globally Satisfied in Personal Life with High Autonomy, and Globally Satisfied in Personal Life with Low Autonomy) across domains. No profile corresponding to the Middling scenario was observed. The results indicate that perceived job and individual characteristics predicted membership in distinct profiles. More importantly, unlike the profile Globally Unsatisfied, the profile Globally Satisfied contributed substantially to higher well-being (vitality and lower psychological distress), and to more favorable job attitudes (job satisfaction and lower turnover intentions) and behaviors (self-rated job performance and lower absenteeism, presenteeism, and work injuries). Furthermore, two of the misaligned profiles were also substantially associated with highly desirable outcome levels.

The effect of survey administration mode on youth mental health measures: Social desirability bias and sensitive questions

AimResearch on trends in youth mental health is used to inform government policy and service funding decisions. It often uses interviewer-administered surveys, which may be affected by mode effects related to social desirability bias. This study sought to determine the impact of survey administration mode on mental health measures, comparing mode effects for sensitive mental health measures (psychological distress and wellbeing) and non-sensitive (physical activity) measures. MethodsData were from two large national community samples of young Australians aged 12–25 years conducted in 2020 (N = 6238) and 2022 (N = 4122), which used both interviewer-administered and self-report modes of data collection. ResultsResults showed participants reported lower psychological distress and higher wellbeing in the interviewer-assisted compared with the self-report mode. No mode effects were found for the non-sensitive physical activity measures. No interaction between mode and gender was found, but an age group by mode interaction revealed that those in the 18–21 and 22–25-year age groups were more strongly affected than younger adolescents. ConclusionsThese findings suggest underestimates of mental health issues from interview survey formats, particularly for young adults. The results show how even a weak mode effect can have a large impact on mental health prevalence indicators. Researchers and policy makers need to be aware of the impact social desirability bias can have on mental health measures and consider taking steps to mitigate this effect.

Examination of Behavioural Patterns of Psychological Distress and Evaluation of Related Factors: A latent class regression.

This study aimed to identify the behavioural pattern of psychological distress (PD) in the population of 18 to 65 years old people in Mashhad, Iran, using latent class regression and evaluate the related factors. PD is a unique emotional state with suffering in response to a stressor or specific need that leads to temporary or permanent impacts. Due to its negative effects on several features of life like the quality of life, health, performance and productivity of individuals, PD and its consequences are considered a public health priority. A cross-sectional study was performed on 425,286 individuals aged 18 to 65, who were referred to health centres in Mashhad, northeastern Iran in the first half of 2018. The information required for this study, including a checklist of demographic information and the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-6), was obtained from the Sina System. Latent class regression identified three latent patterns of PD in answering the questions of the K-6 questionnaire, including severe PD (14%), low PD distress (40%) and no PD (46%). Statistical variables of this study due to the results are considered as the following: women, illiterate people, unemployed and divorced people, individuals aged between 50 and 59 years and people with low weight were more likely to be in the severe PD class than in the no PD class. Although a small percentage of people were classified as severely disturbed, the findings showed a high rate of symptoms of distress and sadness even in the no PD class.

Short-term impacts of housing first on homeless families: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial in Brno, Czechia

ABSTRACT This article examines whether Housing First for homeless families reduces homelessness and use of emergency health services and improves security of tenure and caregivers’ mental health. We present the quantitative data from a mixed-methods design. Homeless families with at least one child under 18, residing in Brno, Czechia were recruited for an open-label pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Families were stratified by number of children and randomized by lottery. Fifty treatment families received intensive case management, housing in municipal flats, and a risk-fund. One hundred control families received services as usual. Structured interviews were conducted at baseline, and six and twelve months after move‒in. For statistical analysis, we used a non-parametric Fisher's exact test for binary variables, a Mann–Whitney U test for categorical and continuous variables, and a parametric negative binomial model for count variables. Treatment families had less homelessness (0, 2 months vs. 11 months) in the year after move-in, were twice as likely to have secure tenure, and showed lower psychological distress. The treatment cut annual emergency room visits in half, ambulance use by three fourths, and hospitalizations by two thirds. This intervention led to greater improvements in health outcomes than previous interventions involving families experiencing homelessness.

Evaluating the Agreement between k-median and Latent Class Analysis for Clustering of Psychological Distress Prevalence

Introduction: Psychological distress (PD) is one of the most common mental disorders in the general population. Psychological distress is considered a public health priority due to its adverse effects on quality of life, health, performance, and productivity. It can also predict several serious mental illnesses, such as depressive disorder and anxiety. In this study, we intend to identify the behavioral pattern of PD in the population of 18 to 65 years old in Mashhad using two methods, K-median and Latent Class Analysis (LCA), and evaluate the agreement between the two methods.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 38058 individuals referred to community health care centers in Mashhad of Iran in 2019. The information used in this study was extracted from Sina Electronic Health Record System (SinaEHR) database. A demographic information checklist and a 6-item Kessler psychological distress scale (K-6) were used for data collection. K-median and LCA were used for data analysis.
 Results: Out of 38058 participants, 49.3% were women, 86.1% were married, and 63.6% had a diploma and under diploma education. The LCA identified three patterns of PD in answering the items of the K-6 questionnaire, including severe PD (19.7%), low PD (36.7%), and no PD (43.5%). Three clusters were identified by the K-Median method: 1) severe PD (22.0%), 2) low PD (31.1%), and 3) and no PD (46.9%). The agreement between K-Median and LCA was kappa = 0.862.
 Conclusion: About 20% of people were classified as having severe PD. Both LCA and k-median methods can reasonably identify the latent pattern of PD with significant entropy, and there was almost complete agreement between the two methods in data clustering. Considering the advantages of the LCA, this method is recommended to identify the latent pattern of PD based on the k-6 questionnaire.

Ethnic group differences in patient satisfaction with GP services: findings from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study.

To identify key predictors of general practitioner (GP) satisfaction and increase insight into the mechanisms behind ethnic health inequities in New Zealand. Regression analyses were conducted using data from the 2019 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (n=38,465). Initially, Māori and Asian peoples showed lower, and Pasifika peoples showed no significant difference in GP satisfaction level relative to New Zealand (NZ) Europeans. However, after accounting for differences in patient-perceived GP cultural respect and GP ethnic similarity, Māori and Pasifika peoples showed higher and Asian peoples showed no difference in GP satisfaction level relative to NZ Europeans. These effects continued to hold when adjusting for a range of demographic factors. Subsequent regression analyses were conducted to investigate the impact of GP perceptions, GP satisfaction and demographic factors on healthcare access satisfaction and health status across ethnic groups. For all ethnic groups, GP satisfaction was the strongest predictor of satisfaction with access to healthcare. Higher GP satisfaction was also a significant predictor of higher self-rated health and lower psychological distress. Lack of GP cultural respect is a key contributor to lower GP satisfaction among ethnic minorities, which can further exacerbate inequities in healthcare access and health outcomes. Interventions to enhance GPs' provision of culturally respectful and safe healthcare services may help reduce ethnic health inequities and improve population health.

Community connection is associated with lower psychological distress for sexual minority women who view community connection positively

We examined factors associated with sexual minority women’s evaluations of belonging to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community in Australia, and assessed whether a positive view of community participation impacted levels of psychological distress. 2424 cisgender sexual minority women participated in a national, online, cross-sectional survey of LGBTIQ adult Australians’ health and well-being. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to investigate sociodemographic factors associated with sexual minority women’s belonging to the LGBTQ community, feelings towards community connection, and associations between community connection and recent psychological distress. Most sexual minority women (58.9%) reported feeling that they are part of the LGBTQ community, and a majority of the participants felt positive about being connected to this community (68.5%). Participants who were bisexual, non-university educated, and who resided in an outer-suburban location were least likely to evaluate participation in the LGBTQ community positively. Feeling positive about community connection was associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Feeling a part of LGBTQ community was associated with lower psychological distress, but this link appears contingent upon positive feelings about community participation. Sexual minority women’s’ relationships to the LGBTQ community are often complex, and community connection and participation in and of itself is not a panacea for the negative outcomes associated with sexual minority stressors.

Bereavement, Memorial Attendance, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Results from the Nurses’ Health Study

Mortality increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many bereaved individuals were not able to gather to memorialize their loved ones, yet it is unknown if this contributed to worsening mental health. Examine the association of bereavement in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic with subsequent psychological distress and the role of memorial attendance in reducing psychological distress among the bereaved. In May 2020, 39,564 older females from the Nurses' Health Study II enrolled in a longitudinal COVID-19 substudy (meanage=65.2 years, SD=4.5). Linear regression analyses estimated associations of bereavement reported between March and October, 2020 with subsequent psychological distress between January and October 2021, adjusting for sociodemographic and prepandemic depression symptoms. Secondary models examined associations between memorial attendance and psychological distress. Bereavement during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher psychological distress (adjusted β=0.21, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.26) assessed over the next year. Among the bereaved, memorial attendance was associated with lower psychological distress (in-person: adjusted β=-0.41, 95% CI: -0.53, -0.29; online: adjusted β=-0.24, 95% CI: -0.46, --0.02). Attending memorials was associated with lower subsequent psychological distress among bereaved older females.

Quality of life of patients treated with opium tincture or methadone: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveQuality of life (QoL) is an increasingly recognized patient-centered treatment outcome in individuals with opioid use disorder. There is a gap in literature on the impact of opium tincture (OT) on patients’ QoL compared to standard treatment options such as methadone. This study aimed to compare the QoL of participants with opioid use disorder receiving OAT using OT or methadone and identify the factors associated with their QoL during treatment. MethodsThe opium trial was a multicenter non-inferiority randomized clinical trial in four private OAT outpatient clinics in Iran. The study assigned patients to either OT (10 mg/ml) or methadone sirup (5 mg/ml) for a follow-up of 85 days. QoL was assessed using the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL- BREF). ResultsA total of 83 participants, 35 (42.2%) in the OT arm and 48 (57.8%) in the methadone arm, completed the WHOQOL-BREF in full and were included in the primary analysis. The mean score of patients’ QoL showed improvement compared to baseline, but differences were not statistically significant between OT and methadone arms (p = 0.786). Improvements were mainly observed within the first 30 days of receiving treatment. Being married and lower psychological distress were associated with an improved QoL. Within the social relationships domain, male gender showed significantly higher QoL compared to females. ConclusionOT shows promise as an OAT medication, comparable to methadone in improving patients’ QoL. There is a need to incorporate psychosocial interventions to further sustain and improve the QoL in this population. Identifying other social determinants of health which affect QoL and the cultural adaptation of assessments for individuals from various ethnocultural backgrounds are critical areas of inquiry.

The CompACT-10: Development and validation of a Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy processes short-form in representative UK samples

The Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT) has frequently been deployed within contextual behavioural research and shown to reliably measure psychological flexibility. However, at 23 items, the scale is relatively long and burdensome, limiting suitability for some measurement contexts, assessment schedules, and respondent groups. Although abbreviated versions of the CompACT have been proposed within the literature, these have arisen from efforts to improve the psychometric properties of the original scale (e.g., removing less stable items) versus any a priori goal of developing a short-form scale. In this study, we describe the development of a psychometrically robust short-form of the CompACT (CompACT-10), and explore and confirm the measure's factor structure, stability, validity, and reliability in two moderately large, independent, UK-representative samples (Ns = 401 and 399). The CompACT-10 demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, for both full- and sub-scale indices, and converged and diverged in theory-consistent ways with other measured variables; higher CompACT-10 scores (indicating greater psychological flexibility) were associated with lower psychological distress and greater levels of health and wellbeing. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the new measure replicated the three-factor model of the original CompACT, suggesting that the CompACT-10 retains the theoretical scope of the longer measure. The research provides promising evidence that the CompACT-10 is a reliable and valid tool for the brief assessment of psychological flexibility.

Optimal telework frequency in terms of sleep and labor productivity depends on the workers' psychological distress: A cross-sectional study in Tokyo, Japan.

This study aimed to determine that workers' sleep and labor productivity differ with the telework frequency and that the optimal telework frequency depends on workers' psychological distress. A cross-sectional study using an online-based questionnaire was conducted with 2,971 workers employed by Japanese companies from October to December 2021. We used the 6-item Kessler Scale, K6, as a nonspecific psychological distress scale to screen mental health conditions. A score of ≤ 4 was defined as low psychological distress (LPD), and a score of ≥ 5 was defined as high psychological distress (HPD). We used the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) as a measure of sleep quality. The Utrecht Work Engagement (UWES) and Work Functioning Impairment (WFun) scales were used as measures of labor productivity. Series of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for the data analysis. The analysis included 2,013 participants (1,390 men and 623 women; mean age 43.2 years, standard deviation 11.3). Multiple comparison tests showed that among the participants categorized HPD (HPD type), the AIS estimates were lowest in the 1-2 d/wk group, with significant differences between the 0-3 d/m and ≥ 5 d/wk groups. UWES estimates were lowest in the 3-4 d/wk group with significant differences between the participants categorized LPD (LPD type) and HPD type, while no significant differences were observed among the LPD type. The WFun estimates among the LPD type decreased significantly with increasing telework frequency, while no significant differences were observed among the HPD type. The optimal telework frequency for sleep and labor productivity may depend on the workers' psychological distress. The finding of this study could make a great contribution to occupational health activities and health promotion for teleworkers, which is necessary to make teleworking a sustainable work style.

Pre-pandemic burnout and its changes during the COVID-19 outbreak as predictors of mental health of healthcare workers: A lesson to be learned

The aim of this study was to identify how previously existing burnout and its changes during the pandemic contributed to PTSD symptoms and psychological distress in a cohort of 388 healthcare workers (HCWs). Each HCW was surveyed in Sep 2019 (before COVID-19) and again in Dec 2020-Jan 2021 (during the pandemic) to assess burnout (MBI); and in the second wave only to assess PTSD (PCL-5-SF), psychological distress (GHQ-12) and resilience (CD-RISC-10). Changes in emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DEP) were stronger in HCWs with lower EE and DEP baseline values. HCWs with higher baseline poor personal accomplishment (PPA) improved more than those with lower baseline values. In multivariable-adjusted models, pre-pandemic EE and its changes were equally associated to both outcomes: standardised-βs of 0.52 and 0.54 for PTSD, respectively; and 0.55 and 0.53 for psychological distress. Changes in DEP were associated with PTSD only (0.10). Changes in PPA had a higher association with psychological distress (0.29) than pre-pandemic PPA (0.13). Resilience was associated with lower psychological distress (-0.25). Preventive actions aimed at reducing EE, e.g., addressing organisational dysfunctions, are needed to mitigate the impact of future crises, whereas improving personal accomplishment levels is a key target to protect HCWs from mental health disorders during a pandemic.

Parental Self-Efficacy Among Israeli Older Adults.

Parental self-efficacy (PSE) is a central aspect of parenting research. Although parenting continues in older ages, few studies have focused on PSE among older adults. In line with the parenting determinant model, the study examined the associations between psychological distress, social support, loneliness, and PSE in older age.The study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey, including 362 Israeli parents age 65 years and above. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires of psychological distress, social support, loneliness, PSE, and background information.Results revealed that higher PSE was associated with lower psychological distress, higher social support, and a lower sense of loneliness in older adults. The research model explained 36.9 per cent of the variance in PSE among older adults.Mental state and social conditions are important for PSE of older adults; therefore, professionals should ensure the availability of diverse solutions to enable, maintain, and promote well-being through social and familial engagement in this population.

Association between low internal health locus of control, psychological distress and insulin resistance. An exploratory study.

To assess the hypothesis that low internal health locus of control (IHLC) and psychological distress (PD) are associated with insulin resistance. In 2002-2005, a random population sample of 2,816 men and women aged 30-74 years participated (76%) in two municipalities in southwestern Sweden. This study included 2,439 participants without previously known diabetes or cardiovascular disease. IHLC was measured by a global scale and PD was measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Insulin resistance was estimated using HOMA-ir. General linear models were used to estimate differences in HOMA-ir between groups with low IHLC, PD, and both low IHLC and PD, respectively. Five per cent (n = 138) had both PD and low IHLC, 62 per cent of participants (n = 1509) had neither low IHLC nor PD, 18 per cent (n = 432) had PD, and 15 per cent (n = 360) low IHLC. Participants with both low IHLC and PD had significantly higher HOMA-ir than participants with neither low IHLC nor PD (Δ = 24.8%, 95%CI: 12.0-38.9), also in the fully adjusted model (Δ = 11.8%, 95%CI: 1.5-23.0). Participants with PD had significantly higher HOMA-ir (Δ = 12%, 95%CI: 5.7-18.7), but the significance was lost when BMI was included in the model (Δ = 5.3%, 95%CI:0.0-10.8). Similarly, participants with low IHLC had significantly higher HOMA-ir (Δ = 10.1%, 95%CI: 3.5-17.0) but the significance was lost in the fully adjusted model (Δ = 3.5%, 95%CI: -1.9-9.3). Internal health locus of control (IHLC) and psychological distress (PD) were associated with insulin resistance. Especially individuals with both PD and low IHLC may need special attention.

Does emotion regulation network mediate the effect of social network on psychological distress among older adults?

ABSTRACT Socio-emotional interactions are integral for regulating emotions and buffering psychological distress. Social neuroscience perspectives on aging suggest that empathetic interpersonal interactions are supported by the activation of brain regions involved in regulating negative affect. The current study tested whether resting state functional connectivity of a network of brain regions activated during cognitive emotion regulation, i.e., emotion regulation network (ERN), statistically mediates the frequency of social contact with friends or family on psychological distress. Here, a 10-min resting-state functional MRI scan was collected along with self-reported anxiety/depressive, somatic, and thought problems and social networking from 90 community-dwelling older adults (aged 65–85 years). The frequency of social interactions with family, but not friends and neighbors, was associated with lower psychological distress. The magnitude of this effect was reduced by 33.34% to non-significant upon adding resting state ERN connectivity as a mediator. Follow-up whole-brain graph network analyses revealed that efficiency and centrality of the left inferior frontal gyrus and the right middle temporal gyrus relate to greater family interactions and lower distress. These hubs may help to buffer psychological problems in older adults through interactions involving empathetic and cognitive emotion regulation with close family.

Differences in the presentation of COVID-19-related psychosocial stress and general psychological distress and the relation between the number of care days and these symptoms among Japanese ward staff working exclusively with COVID-19 and support staff

BackgroundPsychological distress has been frequently observed in frontline healthcare workers under stress during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic; however, it is unclear if there are differences in the stress and symptoms experienced by staff members who work exclusively in a COVID-19 ward and support staff temporarily deployed to a COVID-19 ward. The present study investigated psychosocial stress specific to the care for patients with COVID-19 and psychological distress among ward staff working exclusively with COVID-19 and temporary support staff.MethodsThe participants were full-time nurses and doctors working in COVID-19 wards or the ICU who provided face-to-face care to patients with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 outbreak in February of 2021. The data of 67 staff members (21 exclusively working with Covid-19 patients (group A) and 46 in the temporary support group (group B)) was available for study. Psychosocial stress specific to healthcare professionals during this COVID-19 outbreak (Tokyo Metropolitan Distress Scale for Pandemic [TMDP]) and general psychological distress (K6) were assessed.ResultsThe K6 score was significantly lower in group B than in group A (p = .006), but no significant difference was found in the total score of TMDP or its subscales. Positive correlations were found between TMDP and K6 for group B (p = .011), as was the number of days of care on TMDP-social (rs = .456, p = .001).ConclusionEven though support staff members experienced lower psychological distress than staff working exclusively with COVID-19, COVID-19-related psychosocial stress specific to HCWs was comparable. The support staff also presented psychological distress associated with psychosocial stress specific to healthcare professionals during this COVID-19 outbreak, and the COVID-19-related social stress was enhanced as the number of working days increased. Our results show that all staff, not only those working exclusively with COVID-19 patients but also other support staff should be provided with care focusing on COVID-19-related psychosocial occupational stress.

PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS WARGA BINAAN PEMASYARAKATAN (WBP) LAPAS KELAS IIA PALU

Undergoing a criminal term raises various kinds of problems both physically and psychologically for Prison Assisted Residents (WBP) Class IIA Palu Prison. This is one of the factors WBP experienced stress during his detention period in prison. This study aims to find out the description Psychological Distress to Correctional Families (WBP) in Class IIA Palu Prison. This research uses a quantitative descriptive approach. The participants in this study consisted of 100 participants who were WBP Class IIA Palu prisons using techniques Accidental Sampling. Data collection was carried out using the DASS-42 scale developed by Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) which was adapted into Indonesian by Damanik, (2006) with a reliability value of 0.918. The results showed that 17% had low Psychological Distress levels, 59% moderate, 24% high. The scores obtained by the participants moved from a minimum score of 30 to a maximum score of 92 with a standard deviation of 14.27. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that most of the participants had a moderate level of Psychological Distress.

The moderating effect of emotion regulation in the association between social support and religiosity and psychological distress in adults

BackgroundLebanese adults face daily obstacles due to their numerous responsibilities and non-ending external pressures to the extent that Lebanon has been ranked second among highest negative experiences countries worldwide. A sparse number of international studies showed that positive social support, religiosity and cognitive reappraisal would decrease psychological distress, but none in Lebanon. This study aimed to evaluate the association between social support, religiosity and psychological distress among Lebanese adults, taking into consideration the moderating role of emotion regulation.Methods387 adult participants enrolled in this cross-sectional study between May and July 2022. Participants were chosen from five different governorates in Lebanon, using the snowball sampling technique, and were asked to complete a structured questionnaire, which included the following scales: the Mature Religiosity Scale, the Emotional Regulation Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.ResultsThe interaction social support by cognitive reappraisal was significantly associated with psychological distress; at high levels of cognitive reappraisal and low levels of expressive suppression, higher social support (Beta = − 0.07; p = .007) was significantly associated with lower psychological distress. The same was found at high levels of cognitive reappraisal and moderate levels of expressive suppression (Beta = − 0.08; p = .021). Social support alone was not significantly associated with psychological distress in the model (Beta = 0.15; t = 1.04; p = .300; 95% CI − 0.14; 0.44).ConclusionThis cross-sectional study has provided evidence that the adequate use of emotional regulation skills such as high level of cognitive reappraisal and low level of expressive suppression with presence of social support would remarkably decrease psychological distress. This result casts a new light on clinical approaches to tackle this association between the emotional regulation of a patient in interpersonal psychotherapy.