This study investigates resting-state brain network characteristics in college students with depressive tendencies (DT) and their link to cognitive reappraisal strategies. A group of 38 DT students and 41 healthy controls (HCs) were assessed using questionnaires on cognitive reappraisal strategies, followed by alpha and beta frequency band EEG feature extraction. Through complex network analysis, significant reductions in cognitive reappraisal preferences were noted among DT participants compared to HCs, alongside abnormalities in brain network centrality, particularly in the frontal and limbic lobes across different frequency bands. A notable correlation was found between the preference for cognitive reappraisal in DT participants and significant changes in graph indices. The findings highlight substantial alterations in the resting-state brain networks of DT individuals, closely associated with cognitive reappraisal strategy preferences. These alterations may affect emotion regulation strategy choices, offering insights into the neural mechanisms of emotional regulation difficulties in DT.