The Pathways Linking Self-Efficacy, Emotion Regulation Strategies, and Social and Emotional Skills Among Students with Disabilities in Chinese Secondary Vocational Schools

Objective This study examined the associations of self-efficacy on the social and emotional skills among students with disabilities in secondary vocational schools and analyzed the potential indirect pathways of emotion regulation strategies. Methods This study utilized the Self-Efficacy Scale, Social and Emotional Skills Scale, and Emotion Regulation Scale to survey 350 students with disabilities in mainstream secondary vocational schools across eastern, central, and western China. Results （1）Self-efficacy was positively associated with social and emotional skills among the students with disabilities in secondary vocational schools. (2) Cognitive reappraisal partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and social and emotional skills, while expressive suppression showed a masking effect. (3) Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression jointly played a parallel mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and social and emotional skills. Conclusion The results suggest possible mechanisms by which self-efficacy may be linked to social and emotional skills through emotion regulation strategies. These findings have certain implications for promoting the social and emotional skills of students with disabilities in secondary vocational schools.