Emotion differentiation and alcohol-related problems: The mediating role of urgency

Abstract

Deficits in emotional and behavioral regulation figure prominently in etiological models of alcohol-related problems (Baker, Piper, McCarthy, Majeskie, & Fiore, 2004; Wiers et al., 2007). This study tests a model linking poor differentiation of emotion to alcohol-related problems via urgency. The sample consisted of 102 undergraduates between the ages 18 to 24 who reported moderate to heavy alcohol consumption. As hypothesized, negative urgency mediated the relationship between negative emotion differentiation and alcohol-related problems. However, contrary to hypothesis, positive urgency was not associated with either positive emotion differentiation or alcohol-related problems and the indirect effect of positive emotion differentiation via positive urgency was not significant. Instead, positive emotion differentiation exhibited a significant direct effect on alcohol-related problems. This study provides an initial examination of connections between specificity in labeling emotions, behavioral disinhibition, and problematic alcohol use. These findings suggest poor differentiation of negative emotion may foster impulsive behavior when negatively aroused. Whereas, impulsive behavior when positively aroused may reflect heightened sensitivity to positive reinforcement, which may not be related to reflective processes underlying emotion differentiation.

Impulsive personality traits and alcohol use: Does sleeping help with thinking?

“…This finding is consistent with literature indicating that difficulty identifying and tolerating negative emotions is associated with alcohol-related problems among young adults (Emery, Simons, Clarke, & Gaher, 2014; Kaiser, Milich, Lynam, & Charnigo, 2012). However, it seems to contradict evidence that sleep influences emotion regulation among adolescents and young adults (Baum et al, 2014; Tavernier & Willoughby, 2015).…”

The role of distress tolerance in the relationship between cognitive schemas and alcohol problems among college students

“…The relationship between Insufficient Self-Control and alcohol problems is congruent with the research on the association between impulsivity (e.g., negative urgency) and alcohol problems (Anthenien, Lembo, & Neighbors, 2017; Hahn, Tirabassi, Simons, & Simons, 2016; Hahn et al, 2016; Emery, Simons, Clarke, & Gaher, 2014). Besides impulsivity, the Insufficient Self-Control schema entails a propensity to become frustrated when confronted with difficult tasks (Young et al, 2003).…”

Emotion differentiation and intensity during acute tobacco abstinence: A comparison of heavy and light smokers

“…For each participant, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with absolute agreement was calculated across the six negative affect items to determine the negative emotion differentiation value; similarly, the ICC across the four positive affect items indicated positive emotion differentiation (Emery et al, 2014; Hill & Updegraff, 2012; Kashdan et al, 2010; Tugade et al, 2004). The ICC calculates the percent of the total variation in affect ratings due to variability across assessments versus variability within assessments (Emery et al, 2014). As calculated, a small ICC indicates that an individual can distinguish between different emotional states and label nuances in emotional experience (i.e.…”

“…Depressed individuals report poorer negative emotion differentiation than healthy controls, as do those with social anxiety and those who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (Demiralp et al, 2012; Erbas, Ceulemans, Pe, Koval, & Kuppens, 2014; Kashdan & Farmer, 2014). Furthermore, poor negative emotion differentiation is associated with increased alcohol use and alcohol-related problems (Emery, Simons, Clarke, & Gaher, 2014; Kashdan, Ferssizidis, Collins, & Muraven, 2010). Despite the abundance of EMA studies in tobacco research, prior investigations have not capitalized on these data to examine emotion differentiation in smokers.…”