Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Irritability and internalizing symptoms: Modeling the mediating role of emotion regulation
Gin S Malhi1, Yulisha Byrow1, Tim Outhred1
1Academic Department of Psychiatry, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065 Australia; Sydney Medical School Northern, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; CADE Clinic, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.
Background:
Irritability and emotion regulation are both important transdiagnostic factors that contribute to the development of internalizing symptoms during adolescence. The current study examined whether emotion regulation mediates the relationship between irritability and internalizing symptoms.
Methods:
To examine this relationship we analysed the indirect effect of irritability (measured using a single item from the Goldberg Mania Questionnaire) on internalizing symptoms (anxiety and depression) via the mediator, emotion regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale) in 112 adolescent females.
Results:
Mediation analysis, using bootstrapping, showed a significant indirect effect and suggests that the relationship between irritability and internalizing symptoms is mediated by emotion dysregulation.
Limitations:
These include measuring irritability using a single item and employing a cross sectional design.
Conclusions:
These novel findings add to our understanding of the processes and mechanisms by which irritability contributes to the development of internalizing symptoms.
Related Concept Videos
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
The Influence of Cognition on Affect
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Self-Regulation
Cognitive Theories: Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion
Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Labeling
According to this theory, when an individual experiences...
Physiology of Emotion
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a critical role in emotional responses by regulating involuntary physiological functions. It consists of two main components: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system...

