Reconceptualization of emotion regulation: strategy use, flexibility, and emotionality

Previous research has identified associations between emotion regulation strategy use patterns and emotional and behavioral functioning outcomes. The current study examined the construct of ER by integrating ER strategy use with flexibility to use strategies and overall level of experienced emotion to determine patterns of ER functioning.

Self-report data regarding strategy use, flexibility, and affect intensity was collected from undergraduate psychology students (N = 380).

A latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify a profile structure of ER. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to examine the effect of ER profile on the following outcomes: ER difficulties, internalizing problems, and externalizing behaviors.

The LPA supported a 3-profile and a 6-profile model. MANOVA results indicated that the 3-profile model and the 6-profile model predicted outcomes of ER difficulties and internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

The 3-profile model demonstrated greater separation of profiles than the 6-profile model, whereas the 6-profile model demonstrated more nuanced profiles than the 3-profile model. Overall, our results suggest that integrating strategy use, flexibility, and emotionality yields profiles of ER that can be used for better prediction of functioning than using strategy use alone.