Publication year
2019
Citation Title
Emotion regulation, mental health, and social wellbeing in a young adolescent sample: A concurrent and longitudinal investigation.
Journal Name
Emotion
Journal Volume
19
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
270-282
DOI
10.1037/emo0000432
Summary
Emotion regulation strategies have important implications for social and psychological well-being. This study investigated the role of two emotion regulation strategies, reappraisal and suppression, in the social adjustment of youth. The findings indicated that different emotional regulation strategies were related to some aspects of social adjustment.
Key Findings
Youth who reported higher levels of family satisfaction tended to use reappraisal more frequently and suppression less frequently; however, these associations did not sustain into late adolescence.
Reappraisal was not associated with satisfaction in friendship, but emotional suppression was associated with lower satisfaction in friendship among boys.
The use of emotion regulation strategies, such as greater suppression use, was associated with social well-being.
Implications for Military Professionals
Create activities that teach healthy emotion regulation strategies
Identify ways to enhance positive relationships with youth to support their social functioning
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide education for youth and their families about the potential consequences of poor emotion regulation skills
Host trainings for professionals who work with youth about the differences between healthy and unhealthy emotion regulation strategies
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage the development of youth programs that educate youth on emotion regulation strategies to improve mental health
Recommend education of professionals who work with and on behalf of youth on the effects of emotion regulation strategies on positive youth development
Methods
Participants were recruited from five high schools across urban and semi-rural communities in Sydney, Australia.
Participants completed questionnaires to measure emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, bullying, and life satisfaction. One year later, the participants completed the same questionnaires.
Analyses examined relationships between two emotional regulation strategies (reappraisal and suppression) and three social outcomes: peer victimization, friendship satisfaction, and family satisfaction. Potential gender differences in these relationships were also examined.
Participants
A total of 262 Grade 7 students completed the initial assessment and their ages ranged from 11 to 13 years old (M=11.97, SD=0.35). Gender breakdown of initial assessment was not provided.
One year later, 232 of these students completed the follow-up assessment. The sample included 148 female and 84 male students and their ages ranged from 12 to 14years old (M=12.90, SD=0.43).
Race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of the sample were not reported.
Limitations
The length of time between the two test phases may have limited the observable short-term effects of the regulation strategies. The emotion regulation strategies may be more pronounced during a shorter or longer time length.
The study did not assess whether the use of reappraisal or suppression was used during specific types of social interactions; the general use of these strategies was reported instead.
The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire used was designed for use in adults instead of youth. The language used may have not been fully understood by the youth which could have impacted the findings.
Avenues for Future Research
Investigate the associations between emotion regulation strategies and social outcomes within a shorter time period between assessments
Expand research to other emotion regulation strategies, such as avoidance, acceptance, and attention redirection, to investigate other youth social interactions
Utilize a questionnaire that differentiates the categories of emotional expression for individuals who are emotionally inexpressive and emotionally suppressive
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Previous research has established that the ability to manage emotions effectively is critical to healthy
psychological and social development in adolescents. However, less research has considered the relationships
between specific emotion regulation (ER) strategies, such as reappraisal and suppression, and
social wellbeing in this age group. The current study investigated the concurrent and longitudinal
relationships between 2 ER strategies (reappraisal and suppression) and social outcomes (peer victimization,
friendship satisfaction, and family satisfaction) in young adolescents. Analyses also controlled
for mental health (anxiety and depression). Given likely gender differences in these variables, key
analyses were conducted in parallel for males and females. There were 232 Australian adolescents who
completed measures in Grade 7 (Age Mean 11.97, SD .35; 64% female) and a year later in Grade
8. Zero-order correlations indicated an inverse relationship between suppression use and social wellbeing
variables, although a number of these associations were no longer significant when controlling for mental
health. There was limited evidence that reappraisal was uniquely related to social outcomes. However,
interaction effects suggested that greater use of reappraisal might have provided some protection against
the negative social effects of poorer mental health. Poorer mental and social wellbeing also appeared to
be related to ER strategy use, particularly greater suppression use. The findings suggest that ER strategy
use, mental health, and social outcomes all play important and interrelated roles in adolescent wellbeing.
psychological and social development in adolescents. However, less research has considered the relationships
between specific emotion regulation (ER) strategies, such as reappraisal and suppression, and
social wellbeing in this age group. The current study investigated the concurrent and longitudinal
relationships between 2 ER strategies (reappraisal and suppression) and social outcomes (peer victimization,
friendship satisfaction, and family satisfaction) in young adolescents. Analyses also controlled
for mental health (anxiety and depression). Given likely gender differences in these variables, key
analyses were conducted in parallel for males and females. There were 232 Australian adolescents who
completed measures in Grade 7 (Age Mean 11.97, SD .35; 64% female) and a year later in Grade
8. Zero-order correlations indicated an inverse relationship between suppression use and social wellbeing
variables, although a number of these associations were no longer significant when controlling for mental
health. There was limited evidence that reappraisal was uniquely related to social outcomes. However,
interaction effects suggested that greater use of reappraisal might have provided some protection against
the negative social effects of poorer mental health. Poorer mental and social wellbeing also appeared to
be related to ER strategy use, particularly greater suppression use. The findings suggest that ER strategy
use, mental health, and social outcomes all play important and interrelated roles in adolescent wellbeing.
Abstract Document
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