Ability to regulate emotion is predicted by depressive symptoms and cognitive function in a cardiac sample

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Depression and neurocognitive changes impair emotion regulation.
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients often experience mood and cognitive deficits.
• Combined emotional and cognitive changes may increase emotional volatility in CVD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between emotion regulation, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function in CVD patients.
• To identify factors influencing emotion regulation in individuals with cardiovascular disease.

Main Methods:

• Study included 91 CVD patients undergoing outpatient stress testing.
• Participants completed cognitive assessments and self-report measures for emotion regulation and depression.
• Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed.

Main Results:

• Depressive symptoms and executive function independently predict emotion regulation.
• A significant interaction was found: elevated depression and reduced executive function predict increased emotion dysregulation.
• P < .001 for depressive symptoms and P < .05 for executive function.

Conclusions:

• Combined elevated depressive symptoms and executive dysfunction are linked to poorer emotion regulation in CVD patients.
• Highlights the need for clinician awareness of mental health and cognitive issues in CVD populations.
• Suggests clinical implications for managing mental health, particularly emotion regulation, in this patient group.