Objectives The study aims to investigate the role of cognitive, metacognitive and meta-emotional components in predicting emotional distress in college students. Methods This is a descriptive correlation study, and the study sample consisted of 400 college students who were selected by multistage cluster sampling. Data were obtained using Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS), Leahy Emotional Schemas Scale (LESS), Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (SQ-SF), Meta Cognition Questionnaire (MCQ-30), Mindful Awareness Assessment Scale (MAAS), and Acceptance and Commitment-II (AAQ-II).

Results Negative emotions like the acceptance and commitment, emotional self-awareness and mindfulness and positive emotions like acceptance of feelings, social isolation/alienation, vulnerability and trying to rationality can explain 42.1% of the inner inefficient emotion regulation methods. Negative emotions like higher values, mindfulness and acceptance of feelings and positive emotions like mistrust/abuse and agreement can explain 27.2% of the external inefficient emotion regulation methods. Conclusion Levels of acceptance and practice, emotional self-awareness, mindfulness and acceptance of feeling less and social isolation/alienation, trying to rationality and vulnerability are higher as a result of the internal inefficient methods becoming higher. As levels of higher values, mindfulness and acceptance of feeling less and the mistrust/abuse and agreement are higher; as a result, the external inefficient