The mediating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy in the link between perceived stress and suicide probability among police officers in Türkiye

Abstract

This study examined the mediating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy in the association between perceived stress and suicide probability. Data were collected from 855 Turkish police officers (85.8% men; M = 35.68, SD = 8.83) through an online self-report survey. Results indicated that perceived stress had a significant positive direct effect on suicide probability and a significant negative impact on regulatory emotional self-efficacy. Regulatory emotional self-efficacy was found to have a significant negative direct effect on suicide probability. Moreover, regulatory emotional self-efficacy partially mediated the association between perceived stress and suicide probability. These findings suggest that enhancing police officers’ regulatory emotional self-efficacy can buffer the impact of perceived stress and reduce suicidal tendencies. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.