Nelly Narcisa Manjarrez Fuentes, Harold Elbert Escobar Terán
Emotional dependency and resilience are fundamental constructs for understanding mental health in university students. This study analyzed the relationship between these two variables in 205 students studying Human Resources and Business Administration at the Technical State University of Quevedo, aged between 18 and 29 (M=21.4, SD=1.94). A quantitative, descriptive-correlational cross-sectional design was used, employing the Emotional Dependency Inventory (CDE) and the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale. The results revealed that 55.8% of participants had low levels of emotional dependency, while 44.8% showed high resilience. Spearman's correlation analysis identified a statistically significant inverse relationship between the two variables (Rho=-0.257, p<0.001), indicating that lower levels of emotional dependence are associated with greater resilience. Comparative analyses by age group showed no significant differences (p>0.05). The cross-tabulation showed that 62.5% of students with high emotional dependence had very low resilience. It is concluded that emotional autonomy is a fundamental protective factor for the development of resilience in university contexts, highlighting the need to implement preventive programs aimed at strengthening these psychological competencies in the student population.