INTRODUCTION

The Vietnamese education system has recently prioritized students' emotional well-being in response to school incidents, highlighting shortcomings in emotional management skills [1]. While efforts have been made to develop practical strategies for emotional regulation, a notable gap persists in understanding the role of social support. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory underscores the dynamic interplay between individuals and their environments, affecting both physical and mental development [2, 3]. Within this theoretical framework, social support emerges as a crucial factor shaping students' emotional management within school and family contexts.

Building on this foundation, Kitahara et al.'s (2020) research on Japanese students reveals a reciprocal relationship between emotional management and social support, leading to improved schooling adjustment [4]. Similarly, Ho and Nguyen's (2021) study highlights the interconnectedness of emotion management and social support, underlining the significant prevalence of depression among Vietnamese students [5]. These studies collectively underscore the importance of social support in shaping the emotional landscapes of university students. However, it's important to note that while these studies provide valuable insights, limited research has directly addressed the nuanced interplay between emotion management and social support within the Vietnamese context. Furthermore, studies by Zheng et al. (2021) have shown that cultural factors significantly shape emotion management and social support dynamics in Asian educational settings, further emphasizing the importance of considering cultural nuances when studying these interactions [6]. Additionally, studies by. Lopez-Zafra (2019) has explored students' mental health outcomes, indicating that effective emotion management and strong social support networks contribute to better mental health and well-being [7].

Often, existing research treats social support and emotion management as variables impacting broader psychological traits without delving into the intricacies of their interaction [8-10]. Consequently, our study seeks to bridge this gap by explicitly investigating how these two factors interact and influence each other among students at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, providing a more comprehensive understanding of their dynamic relationship within the Vietnamese educational milieu. In light of this research gap, our study aims to address two pivotal aspects: (i) evaluating the level of perceived social support among Vietnamese university students and (ii) examining students' perspectives on how social support influences their emotional management, specifically within engineering disciplines. The study draws on the theoretical underpinning of social support defined by Shumaker and Brownell (1984), involving resource exchange to enhance well-being [11]. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) by Zimet et al. (1988) is employed for consistent cross-cultural assessment of perceived social support [12]. Emotion management, a topic of global interest, encompasses functional and individual skill-based perspectives. Eisenberg et al.'s (2000) comprehensive framework aligns with the study's scope, encompassing reactions to external stimuli and regulation of emotional expressions [13]. This framework categorizes emotion management skills into initiation, maintenance, inhibition, modification, and alteration of emotional behaviors, including observable facial expressions, gestures, and physiological responses. To measure these skills, the study employs Berking et al.'s (2014) emotion management skills scale, adapted to the Vietnamese context [14].

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sample Collection

The study's sample size was determined based on Watson's (2001) recommendation, appropriate for population sizes between 50,000 and 100,000 [15]. This guided the inclusion of 675 actively participating university students, comprising 213 males (31.6%) and 426 females (68.4%). The distribution across academic years included second-year students (53.0%), freshmen (21.9%), third-year students (16.0%), and senior-year students (9.0%).

Measurements

To assess participants' perceived social support, the MSPSS consisted of 12 statements categorized into family, friends, and other significant individuals [12]. Responses were collected using a Likert scale, ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." The cumulative scores represented perceived social support, with higher scores indicating elevated support levels. The interpretation was categorized into predefined ranges: low support (1-2.9), moderate support (3-5), and high support (5.1-7). Berking et al. (2014) developed the emotion management skills scale to assess participants' skills within the Vietnamese context [14]. Comprising 27 items across nine factors, responses were recorded on a Likert scale (0 to 4) reflecting the frequency of skill utilization within a week. This scale was adapted to the Vietnamese context for consistency.

Data Analysis

Mean scores were computed for individual factors and a composite score for emotion management skills, providing insights into the frequency of skill usage. Higher mean scores indicated more frequent utilization of these skills. The data was presented as means with accompanying standard deviations. To determine statistical significance, p-values were calculated, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. A range of statistical analyses was employed, including t-tests, ANOVA, correlation analysis, assessment of Cronbach's Alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and single-variable regression analysis with adjusted R-squared. These analyses were conducted using SPSS Version 26.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Emotion Management Skills and Perceived Social Support Scales among Vietnamese University Students

In our study involving a participant cohort of 675 students, the assessment of emotion management skills revealed discernible Cronbach's Alpha indices for each respective factor, as outlined in Table 1. These indices were as follows: 0.706 (Attention toward feelings), 0.704 (Body perception of feelings), 0.720 (Clarity of feelings), 0.745 (Understanding of feelings), 0.701 (Acceptance of feelings), 0.718 (Tolerance and endurance of feelings), 0.723 (Readiness to confront undesired emotions), 0.713 (Self-support), and 0.728 (Modification). This comprehensive analysis provides insights into the reliability of our assessment tool.

EFA demonstrated the suitability of the dataset, as indicated by a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index of 0.847 and the statistical significance of Bartlett's test (p = 0.000). Moreover, the extracted factors collectively accounted for 66.76% of the variance, exceeding the recommended threshold of 50%. Nine distinct characteristics were identified, each characterized by factor loadings ranging from 0.629 to 0.855, indicating robustness.

Turning to the MSPSS, a meticulous examination of students' perceived social support revealed strong Cronbach's Alpha indices for each factor, as in Table 2. These indices were as follows: 0.870 (Family), 0.866 (Friends), and 0.899 (Significant Other). This detailed analysis affirms the reliability of the assessment tool across different dimensions.

Exploratory Factor Analysis further supported the dataset's suitability, with a KMO index of 0.852 and the statistical significance of Bartlett's test (p = 0.000). The extracted factors collectively accounted for 73.61% of the variance, surpassing the recommended threshold. Three distinct factors emerged, characterized by factor loadings ranging from 0.778 to 0.879, reinforcing the factors' robustness and reliability.

Perception of Emotion Management among Students at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City

As displayed in Table 3, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City students exhibited sporadic engagement with emotional management skills, with an average score (M) of 2.73 and a standard deviation (StD) of 0.46. A closer examination highlighted nuanced patterns, indicating specific facets of emotional management in which students exhibited reduced inclination within the university's academic context. These dimensions included a decline in Attention toward feelings (M = 2.93; StD = 0.74), Understanding of feelings (M = 2.83; StD = 0.73), and Self-Support (M = 2.98; StD = 0.80). This trend aligns with students' psychological development trajectories, reflecting their emotional resilience. Notably, male students demonstrated heightened engagement in utilizing emotion management skills compared to their female peers, particularly in dimensions like attention toward feelings, clarity of feelings, understanding of feelings, tolerance, endurance, and readiness to confront undesired emotions.

Statistically discernible disparities emerged in emotion management engagement among diverse university students, as illustrated in Table 4. While the F statistic exceeded the conventional threshold of 0.05, post hoc analysis revealed more intricate distinctions within distinct university cohorts. Notably, students pursuing engineering disciplines demonstrated less involvement in emotion management skills, particularly in understanding emotions, accepting feelings, self-support, and applying modification strategies compared to peers from other academic backgrounds.

Note: *p<0.05; **p<0.01

Note: USSH: University of Social Sciences and Humanities; HCMIU: Ho Chi Minh City University of Information Technology; UIT: University of Information Technology; HCMUS: University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City; HCMUT: Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology; UEL: University of Economics and Law

Perception of Social Support among Students at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City

A detailed analysis of students' perceptions of social support within Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City is presented in Table 5. The investigation outcomes indicated that students at this institution tend to perceive their social support level as relatively modest, with a mean score (M) of 2.39 and a standard deviation (StD) of 0.77. Further investigation revealed nuanced distinctions within perceived sources of social support. Notably, students predominantly attributed their support to friends (M = 2.6; StD = 0.92), while perceived support from family and significant others received notably lower scores. This collective data underscores a view that students' overall social support within this academic institution is limited.

Note: ***p<0.001

Gender-based differences emerged in students' perceptions of social support, particularly within the familial context. Statistically significant discrepancies were noted between male and female students, with male students perceiving higher levels of support from their families than their female counterparts.

Impact of Students' Perceived Social Support on Emotion Regulation at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City

Our study delved into the interplay between students' perceptions of social support and their emotion regulation at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, as outlined in Table 6. Findings highlighted a positive correlation between emotional management proficiency and perceived social support, particularly in family and significant others. Specific facets of emotional management displayed favorable associations, notably clarifying feelings, readiness to confront undesired emotions, and implementing modification strategies. This suggests that a heightened perception of social support aligns with greater engagement in these emotion management facets.

Note: **p<0.01; EM 1: Attention toward feelings; EM 2: Body perception of feelings; EM 3: Clarify of feelings; EM 4: Understanding of feelings; EM 5: Acceptance of feelings; EM 6: Tolerate and endure feelings; EM 7: Readiness to confront undesired emotion; EM 8: self - support; EM 9: Modification; EM 10: Emotion Management.

Furthermore, this relationship extended to various sub-factors within the social support spectrum, with distinct correlations with students' emotion regulation. Increased perception of support from family and friends correlated with a greater readiness to confront undesired emotions, modify emotional responses, and elucidate feelings. Strong correlations between significant others and emotion management were noted, particularly in domains such as body perception of feelings, understanding emotions, and applying modification strategies.

Note: ***: p < 0.001