Digital emotion regulation and mental well-being among in-school adolescents in Kampala, Uganda: the mediation-moderating role of social media fatigue and gender

This study investigated the relationship between Digital Emotion Regulation (DER) and mental well-being among in-school adolescents in Kampala, Uganda, focusing on the mediating role of Social Media Fatigue (SMF) and the moderating role of gender. Using a correlational research design, data were collected from a sample of adolescents through standardized self-report measures. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic and study variables, while Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and the PROCESS macro were used for inferential analysis. Results indicated that DER significantly predicted mental well-being (B = 0.808, p < .001), suggesting that adolescents who effectively use digital tools to manage their emotions tend to report higher levels of mental well-being. SMF was found to partially mediate this relationship (B = 0.227, p = .021), implying that DER influences mental health both directly and indirectly through its effect on digital fatigue. Moderation analysis showed that gender did not significantly influence the strength of the DER–mental well-being relationship (B = 0.332, p = .219), though the effect appeared stronger among females. These findings highlight the relevance of digital emotional coping strategies in adolescent mental health and support the integration of DER training into school-based mental health programs.