The study found that better affective control—the ability to manage cognitive processes in emotional contexts—was associated with fewer mental health difficulties and better emotional functioning. Affective control partially explained the relationship between age and mental health, with the strongest associations observed in younger adolescents. The findings also showed that poorer affective control was linked to greater self-reported difficulties in emotion regulation. Overall, the research suggests that affective control may be an important protective factor for adolescent mental health and a promising target for early intervention.