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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Emotion regulation mediates age differences in emotions.
Dannii Y Yeung1, Carmen K M Wong, David P P Lok
1Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. dannii.yeung@cityu.edu.hk
Aging & Mental Health
|April 15, 2011
Summary
Older adults utilize more cognitive reappraisal, an emotion regulation strategy, which positively influences their emotional experiences. This strategy partially mediates the relationship between age and positive emotions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Socioemotional selectivity theory posits age-related shifts in emotional regulation.
- Understanding age differences in emotion regulation is crucial for gerontological research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if older adults employ more antecedent-focused emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal) than response-focused strategies (suppression).
- To investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation in the age-emotion relationship.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 654 adults aged 18-64.
- Assessed emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, suppression) and emotional experiences.
- Analyzed age-related differences and mediation effects.
Main Results:
- Age positively correlated with positive emotions and cognitive reappraisal.
- No significant differences in negative emotions or suppression were found between age groups.
- Cognitive reappraisal partially mediated the effect of age on positive emotions.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the socioemotional selectivity theory regarding increased cognitive reappraisal in older adults.
- Cognitive reappraisal is a key mechanism linking age to enhanced positive emotional experiences.
- Emotion regulation strategies significantly explain age variations in emotional well-being.
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