Resilience, Stress, and Emotion Regulation in College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model of TikTok Engagement

This study examined associations between stress, resilience, emotion regulation (ER), and TikTok use. Data were collected from 101 undergraduate students (Mage = 20.04, SDage = 4.02) at a Midwestern private university. Participants completed self-report measures of TikTok use and intensity (i.e., emotional attachment), resilience, perceived stress, and intrapersonal and interpersonal ER. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS macro models. Stress mediated the relationship between resilience and TikTok use but not intensity. Interpersonal ER moderated the resilience–stress link, with higher interpersonal ER amplifying the negative association between resilience and stress, which in turn was linked to lower TikTok use and intensity. Intrapersonal ER was not a significant moderator. Findings underscore the importance of stress and interpersonal ER in understanding social media use and suggest potential applications for college health and wellness interventions.