The relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and emotional problems: comparison between a clinical and a non‐clinical sample

Abstract

This study focuses on the relationship between the use of specific cognitive emotion regulation strategies and emotional problems. Two samples were included: 99 adults from a clinical population and 99 matched non-clinical adults. Data was obtained in both groups on the use of nine cognitive emotion regulation strategies: self-blame, other-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, putting into perspective, positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, acceptance, and refocus on planning.Logistic regression analyses show that self-blame, catastrophizing, and positive reappraisal were, relative to the other strategies, the most important variables for distinguishing between the two samples. While the first two strategies were reported significantly more often by the clinical than by the non-clinical sample, positive reappraisal was reported significantly more often by the non-clinical sample. The results suggest that cognitive emotion regulation strategies may be a useful target for prevention and intervention.

Cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire – development of a short 18-item version (CERQ-short)

“…Relationships with outcome measures were comparable to reported results with the original CERQ: Rumination, Self-blame and Catastrophizing were related to more depression and anxiety symptoms, while Positive Reappraisal was related to fewer symptoms, supporting the validity of the CERQ-short. For extensive discussions on the implications for theory and intervention as well as for directions and challenges for future research, we refer to our earlier studies (e.g., Garnefski et al, 2001Garnefski et al, , 2002aGarnefski & Kraaij, 2006). Some limitations should be mentioned.…”

“…To date, the CERQ has been included in an increasing number of studies in various countries focusing on relationships between cognitive processes and mental health. Despite some variation across studies, cognitive strategies such as Self-blame, Rumination, Catastrophizing and Positive Reappraisal (inversely) have consistently been associated with negative emotions like depression, anxiety, stress and anger (e.g., D'Acremont & van der Linden, in press; Garnefski et al, 2001;Garnefski et al, 2002a;Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006;Kraaij, Garnefski, & van Gerwen, 2003;Jermann, van der Linden, d'Acremont, & Zermatten, 2006;Martin & Dahlen, 2005).…”

Are expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal associated with stress-related symptoms?

“…Reappraisal is associated with less depression, less negative affect, and increased life satisfaction (Garnefski, Teerds, Kraaij, Legerstee, & van den Kommer, 2004;Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006;, and induced reappraisal decreases negative emotion and neither impairs memory nor increases arousal (Egloff, Schmukle, Burns, & Schwerdtfeger, 2006;Richards & Gross, 2000;Richards et al, 2003;Gross & Thompson, 2006) and may actually lessen physiological arousal (Dandoy & Goldstein, 1990). The use of reappraisal is also higher in healthy controls compared to individuals with clinical levels of anxiety and/or depression (Garnefski et al, 2002;Garnefski et al, 2004). In addition, like expressive suppression, reappraisal may be particularly relevant to the study of trauma reactions.…”

Differences Between Expressive Suppression and Cognitive Reappraisal Between Heart Disease and Generalal Population

“…Emotion regulation is regarded as a crucial factor in wellbeing and adaptive behavior and there are different strategies which individuals use for this purpose, but as Garefski (2002) argued some of these strategies are more adaptable than the others. (13) Two well-studied strategy to re-evaluate emotional regulation and suppression (14) to reduce (or increase) the tendency of emotional response or affective states. (15) Suppress emotionally-expressive behavior inhibition in emotional arousal decreases.…”