Process-Oriented Measurement of Emotion Regulation: General and Specific Associations With Psychosocial Adjustment and Well-Being in (Pre-)Adolescence

Abstract

The development of emotion regulation (ER) is associated with children’s and adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment and well-being. In this regard, previous studies have examined the role of different ER strategies, which can be characterized as being functional (e.g., reappraisal, problem solving) or dysfunctional (e.g., suppression, rumination). Based on the process model of emotion regulation, the strategies can also be classified according to their temporal position within the emotion generative process, with five families of ER strategies being proposed: situation selection, situation modification, attentional deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation. This study aimed to examine the role of ER for adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment (internalizing and externalizing problems, prosocial behavior) and well-being. First, associations were investigated on a more general level by distinguishing between functional and dysfunctional ER. Second, relations were examined on a more specific level by additionally distinguishing between the five families of ER strategies as suggested in the process model of ER. Questionnaire self-reports of N = 1,727 German children and adolescents (55% girls) aged 9–18 years (M = 13.03, SD = 1.75) collected in schools were analyzed. Path analyses showed that more functional and less dysfunctional ER in general is associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and higher well-being. Prosocial behavior was only positively related to functional but not dysfunctional ER. Analyses of associations on the level of specific categories of ER strategies generally showed a similar pattern, but in part indicated differential associations with the dependent variables: Internalizing problems were particularly associated with functional situation selection, dysfunctional cognitive change, and dysfunctional response modulation. Externalizing problems were associated with functional situation selection and response modulation, as well as numerous dysfunctional strategies, none of which were particularly salient. Similarly, numerous rather than single specific associations emerged between prosocial behavior and the five categories of functional ER strategies. Well-being was particularly associated with functional situation selection and dysfunctional cognitive change. Overall, a more precise assessment of ER, as implemented in this study, could not only advance research in this field, but can also be helpful in planning and evaluating prevention and intervention programs.

The Short Version of the Process-Oriented Emotion Regulation Measure for Children and Adolescents (POEM-CA)

“…In contrast to this pattern, more dysfunctional ER was associated with more internalizing (H2a) and externalizing problems (H2b), and lower well-being (H2d). These results are consistent with existing literature (e.g., Brenning et al, 2021;Li et al, 2021;Morrish et al, 2018;Rueth & Lohaus, 2022) and support the criterion-related validity regarding psychosocial adjustment and well-being.…”

“…Previous research demonstrates that more functional and less dysfunctional ER is associated with less internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as more prosocial behavior and well-being (e.g., Brenning et al, 2021; Li et al, 2021; Morrish et al, 2018; Rueth & Lohaus, 2022). These multiple and consistent findings were further supported by meta-analytic results (Aldao et al, 2010; Schäfer et al, 2017), highlighting the importance of ER for healthy development.…”

Latent growth curve analyses of emotional awareness and emotion regulation in early and middle adolescence

“…The second-order LGCMs used in this study address this problem as they are more reliable, have greater statistical power, and better account for measurement errors than first-order LGCMs (Geiser et al, 2013; Newsom, 2015). However, future studies should carefully select more reliable measures of ER, covering a wide range of different strategies (e.g., Garnefski et al, 2001; Rueth & Lohaus, 2022). Further limitations are that this study comprised only three measurement points within the short period of 1 year and that it was not possible to apply the multigroup approach to our data (see Note 3).…”

“…27–28). As part of these ER processes, individuals use various strategies that can be classified as functional or dysfunctional, depending on their relations to psychosocial adjustment and well-being (Aldao et al, 2010; Rueth & Lohaus, 2022). In addition, they can be described as internal (e.g., rumination, suppression, reappraisal) or external strategies (e.g., aggressive reactions, seeking social support, physical activity), depending on the resources individuals rely on when dealing with emotions (Phillips & Power, 2007).…”

“…The role of emotional competence in the development of children and adolescents has been widely researched in the past, and emotion-related core competencies have been described in several theories (e.g., Halberstadt et al, 2001; Lemerise & Arsenio, 2000; Saarni, 1999). All these theories consider emotional awareness (EA) and emotion regulation (ER) as important components, which might be due to the fact that both have been found to be associated with positive developmental outcomes, such as empathy and prosocial behavior, but also with the development of problem behavior and psychopathologies (e.g., Aldao et al, 2010; Rieffe & Camodeca, 2016; Rueth et al, 2017; Rueth & Lohaus, 2022; Schäfer et al, 2017; Sendzik et al, 2017).…”