Emotion regulation as a moderator of the relationship between study demands and student presenteeism

University students frequently face high study demands, often resulting in elevated stress levels and contributing to poor mental health outcomes. To manage these demands, some students adopt maladaptive coping strategies that may jeopardise their mental health and hinder goal attainment. Mülder et al. (2021) explored presenteeism among students as one such maladaptive behaviour, examining its antecedents (e.g. study demands) and moderating factors (e.g. emotion regulation). This study replicated and extended Mülder et al.’s (2021) research by examining whether two emotion regulation strategies—reappraisal and suppression—moderate the relationship between perceived study demands and presenteeism among Australian undergraduate psychology students. One hundred and fifty-six undergraduate students from a regional Australian university completed a self-report survey assessing study demands, presenteeism, and two emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal and suppression). Moderation was tested using multiple regression analyses. A significant negative relationship was found between students’ perceived time to complete study demands and presenteeism days. Unlike Mülder et al. (2021), no significant relationship was observed between reappraisal and presenteeism, nor was a significant moderation effect found—replicating Mülder et al.'s (2021) finding. However, students high in suppression reported fewer presenteeism days under high study demands, highlighting the need to refine conceptual models of emotion regulation and student coping. These findings suggest that higher education should integrate emotion-regulation training into student support services and academic-skills programs. Such initiatives can help students manage academic stress more effectively, reducing presenteeism and supporting both wellbeing and performance. Universities may also adopt policies that acknowledge the impact of emotional strain and study demands—such as flexible deadlines, early support referral, and the normalisation of help-seeking—to promote healthier study engagement. Embedding emotion-regulation and self-development training can further strengthen students’ resilience and long-term professional sustainability. At a broader level, these interventions may enhance student retention and mental-health outcomes, supporting institutional efficiency and societal goals for sustainable higher education. This study extends existing research on student presenteeism by showing that suppression, rather than reappraisal, moderates the impact of academic demands on maladaptive coping. This study provides novel insight into how emotion regulation strategies operate in a student population.