Comparison of emotional regulatory difficulties of smoking and non-smoker university students

This research was carried out in order to examine the comparison of emotion regulation difficulties of university students who use cigarettes and non-users. In line with the determined purpose, the research model has been preferred as a screening model. While the research universe consists of university students who use and do not use cigarettes studying in Istanbul, the research sample consists of 406 volunteer participants, including 303 women and 103 men who use and do not use cigarettes studying at Istanbul Gelim University and Istanbul Esenyurt University. In order to obtain the research data, the 'Fagerström Nicotine Addiction Scale', the 'Emotion Regulation Difficulty Scale- Short Form (DERS-16)' and the 'Demographic Information Scale' created by the researcher were used for information about the participants. The collected data were analyzed by NCSS (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2020 Statistical Software (NCSS LLC, Kaysville, Utah, USA) statistical program. At the end of the study, it was concluded that the DERS strategies subscale scores of university students who smoke were significantly higher compared to non-smoking university students; goals, non-acceptance, impulse and openness subscale scores did not show a statistically significant difference. A negative relationship was found between the emotion regulation difficulty scores and the age variable. It was also concluded that there is a decently significant relationship between nicotine addiction and emotion regulation difficulty scores at a positive level.