Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance and Career Beliefs in Female Frontline Health Workers in Rural and Urban Areas

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Published Aug 17, 2026
https://doi.org/10.62663/pjpprp.v17i1.298
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Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026): Pakistan Journal of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (PJPPRP)

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Aisha Sarfraz
UMS
Asad Usman
Virtual University of Pakistan
Sheeba Shahzadi
Australian Catholic University
Muhammad Taha Kamal
Dhaka University
Afifa
UMS
Eman Fatima
Dhaka University

Abstract

The purpose of the current research was to find out the relationship between emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and facilitating career beliefs in female frontline health workers who are single, married, or mothers. A sample of 250 female frontline health workers, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, was taken from different government and private hospitals. The age range of participants was 25–55 years (M = 33.33, SD = 8.41). A demographic information sheet, the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003), the Distress Tolerance Scale (Azhar et al., 2018), and the Career Beliefs Scale (Waqar & Hanif, 2013) were used. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between emotional regulation and facilitating career beliefs among female frontline health workers. Moreover, results showed a significant negative relationship between emotional regulation and distress tolerance among female frontline health workers who were single, married, or mothers. Furthermore, results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that higher emotional regulation is a significant positive predictor of facilitating career beliefs (adaptive and positive self-beliefs about one's abilities, worth, opportunities, and future success that support healthy emotional regulation) among female frontline health workers. These findings suggest that fostering emotional regulation skills among female frontline health workers may support the development of facilitating career beliefs, and that supportive social and organizational attitudes toward these women may help them manage the demands of domestic and professional life. 

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Aisha Sarfraz, Asad Usman, Sheeba Shahzadi, Muhammad Taha Kamal, Afifa, & Eman Fatima. (2026). Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance and Career Beliefs in Female Frontline Health Workers in Rural and Urban Areas. PJPPRP, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.62663/pjpprp.v17i1.298

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