The structure of common emotion regulation strategies: A meta-analytic examination.

Abstract

Emotion regulation has been examined extensively with regard to important outcomes, including psychological and physical health. However, the literature includes many different emotion regulation strategies but little examination of how they relate to one another, making it difficult to interpret and synthesize findings. The goal of this meta-analysis was to examine the underlying structure of common emotion regulation strategies (i.e., acceptance, behavioral avoidance, distraction, experiential avoidance, expressive suppression, mindfulness, problem solving, reappraisal, rumination, worry), and to evaluate this structure in light of theoretical models of emotion regulation. We also examined how distress tolerance-an important emotion regulation ability -relates to strategy use. We conducted meta-analyses estimating the correlations between emotion regulation strategies (based on 331 samples and 670 effect sizes), as well as between distress tolerance and strategies. The resulting meta-analytic correlation matrix was submitted to confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. None of the confirmatory models, based on prior theory, was an acceptable fit to the data. Exploratory factor analysis suggested that 3 underlying factors best characterized these data. Two factors-labeled Disengagement and Aversive Cognitive Perseveration-emerged as strongly correlated but distinct factors, with the latter consisting of putatively maladaptive strategies. The third factor, Adaptive Engagement, was a less unified factor and weakly related to the other 2 factors. Distress tolerance was most closely associated with low levels of repetitive negative thought and experiential avoidance, and high levels of acceptance and mindfulness. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and applications to emotion regulation assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record

Examining the Structure of Negative Affect Regulation and Its Association With Hedonic and Psychological Wellbeing

“…Reappraisal is associated with high use of problem-directed action and social support, and attentional deployment and cognitive change strategies (except social comparison); moreover, it is associated with high active and passive psychological regulation, humor, warmth and regulated expression. Suppression is associated not only with withdrawal, social isolation and inhibition, but also with low social support and venting (Naragon-Gainey et al, 2017; Schäfer et al, 2017). …”

“…There are various theories on self-regulation; however, there is consensus that it includes skills or conducts such as planning; cognitive, and meta-cognitive aspects such as self-tracking and motivational aspects such as setting goals. Nevertheless, there are few attempts to contrast the whole structure of a large repertoire of forms of self-regulation to the management of negative affect (Augustine and Hemenover, 2008; Webb et al, 2012; Peña-Sarrionandia et al, 2015; Naragon-Gainey et al, 2017). …”

“…However, the psychometric characteristics of the MARS questionnaire have not yet been studied. In the Spanish adaptation, a similar number of coping and affect regulation forms have been applied using an expanded 56 item version of the MARS scale, indicating that a nucleus of regulation was associated with the attainment of adaptive goals (Páez et al, 2012, 2013; Naragon-Gainey et al, 2017). In fact, different studies have shown a relationship between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being and affect regulation (Gross, 2015).…”

“…Thus, Páez and Da Costa (2014) find a positive association between distraction and positive affect ( r = 0.17) and Peña-Sarrionandia et al (2015) between distraction and IE ( r = 0.17). Strategies such as acceptance or accepting the reality of the event are also adaptive (Aldao et al, 2010; Naragon-Gainey et al, 2017). Also, focusing attention on positive aspects of life and feeling gratitude and self-reward for them is associated with well-being (Larsen and Prizmic, 2008).…”

Emotion Transfer, Emotion Regulation, and Empathy-Related Processes in Physician-Patient Interactions and Their Association With Physician Well-Being: A Theoretical Model

“…These and other factors such as emotional awareness, beliefs about the mutability of emotions (emotion regulation self-efficacy), or skills covered by the concept of emotional intelligence (92) might help to regulate emotions (90, 93–96). Therefore, researchers now differentiate between emotion regulation strategies (e.g., avoiding the emotion-eliciting situation) and emotion regulation abilities [e.g., variability of the repertoire, flexibility, tolerance, emotional awareness, emotion regulation self-efficacy, (86, 90)].…”