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first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Clarity and Emotional Regulation as Protective Factors for Adolescent Well-Being: A Moderated Mediation Model Involving Depression by Jonathan Martínez-Líbano 1ORCID,María-Mercedes Yeomans-Cabrera 2,*ORCID,Axel Koch 1,Roberto Iturra Lara 3ORCID andPatrícia Torrijos Fincias 4ORCID 1 Facultad de Educación y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Andres Bello, Concepción 4030000, Chile 2 Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Salud y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago 2531098, Chile 3 Facultad de Ciencias para el Cuidado de la Salud, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción 4080871, Chile 4 Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2025, 15(7), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15070130 Submission received: 1 April 2025 / Revised: 30 May 2025 / Accepted: 23 June 2025 / Published: 11 July 2025 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health and Adaptation in Chronic Illness: Risky Factors and Resilience) Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Browse Figures Versions Notes Abstract Introduction: Adolescent well-being is influenced by emotional regulation and clarity, particularly in contexts of depression, stress, and anxiety. Objective: This study explores how depression mediates the relationship between emotional regulation and well-being and whether emotional clarity moderates this interaction, providing a comprehensive model to understand adolescent mental health. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 636 Chilean adolescents aged 10–18. Emotional clarity and regulation were assessed using the TMMS-24 scale, depression with the DASS-21 scale, and subjective well-being with the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and moderated mediation models (PROCESS Macro, Models 4 and 7). Results: Emotional regulation positively correlated with subjective well-being (r = 0.373, p < 0.01) and negatively with depression (r = −0.251, p < 0.01). Depression partially mediated the relationship between emotional regulation and well-being (B = 0.149, 95% CI [0.082, 0.225]), with regulation explaining 86.41% of the effect. Emotional clarity moderated the regulation-depression link, with higher clarity amplifying the protective impact of regulation (index = 0.008, 95% CI [0.0017, 0.0149]). Conclusions: Emotional regulation and clarity are vital for adolescent well-being and enhance the protective role of regulation against depression. Interventions targeting both constructs could improve mental health outcomes in vulnerable populations.