Emotion regulation is a multi-modal construct, that includes both adaptive and maladaptive cognitive-behavioral processes. However, many classifications of regulation strategies do not take this multi-modality into account.In this study, two classification systems were integrated.Participants were 336 adolescents (56% boys, M age = 15.41, SD = 1.45). Anger regulation strategies were measured with a questionnaire that assessed general strategies, and a vignette measure that assessed contextual strategies.Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 4-factor classification that consisted of cognitive maladaptive, behavioral maladaptive, cognitive adaptive, and behavioral adaptive strategies. The four categories of regulation strategies were differentially associated with age, and gender and psychological problem differences were found. Adolescents with internalizing problems reported using a cognitive regulation style, adolescents with externalizing problems a behavioral regulation style, and adolescents with comorbid internalizing and externalizing problems a maladaptive regulation style. These findings highlight the multi-modal nature of emotion regulation and may provide opportunities for treatment modifications.This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Prosocial actions are a building block for developing mature and caring social relations. However, the global pandemic may hamper adolescents’ prosocial actions. In this preregistered study, we examined the extent to which adolescents provided daily emotional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 10–25-year-old high school and university students participated at three timepoints (N = 888 at the first timepoint (May 2020); 494 at the second timepoint (Nov 2020) and 373 at the third timepoint (May 2021)). At the first and second timepoint, participants completed 2 weeks of daily diaries on providing emotional support. At all timepoints, participants performed Dictator Games to measure giving to peers, friends and COVID-19 targets (medical doctors, COVID-19 patients, individuals with a poor immune system). Across the three timepoints, adolescents gave more to COVID-19 targets than peers and friends, but giving to COVID-19 target was highest in the beginning of the pandemic (first timepoint relative to second and third timepoint). Results from the first timepoint showed that emotional support directed to friends peaked in mid-adolescence, whereas emotional support towards family members showed a gradual increase from childhood to young adulthood. Furthermore, daily emotional support increased between the first and second timepoint. Daily emotional support to friends predicted giving behavior to all targets, whereas emotional support to family was specifically associated with giving to COVID-19 targets. These findings elucidate the relation between daily actions and prosocial giving to societally-relevant targets in times of crisis, underlying the importance of prosocial experiences during adolescence.
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