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Published on: February 11, 2017
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Emotion Regulation Flexibility in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Kristina Conroy1, Joshua E Curtiss2, Abigail L Barthel2
1Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment
|July 15, 2020
Summary
Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) show varying emotion regulation (ER) flexibility. Higher ER flexibility is linked to better emotional well-being and quality of life in GAD patients.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Affective styles reflect habitual emotion regulation (ER) strategies.
- Mental health is linked to flexible use of ER strategies, not specific ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct profiles of emotion regulation flexibility in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
- To examine the relationship between these profiles and emotional functioning.
Main Methods:
- Latent profile analysis was used to categorize patients based on their affective styles.
- Participants were patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.
Main Results:
- Three distinct profiles of ER flexibility were identified: low (26%), high (10%), and moderate (64%).
- Higher emotion regulation flexibility was associated with improved emotional functioning and quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Patients with GAD exhibit diverse levels of ER flexibility.
- The majority of GAD patients demonstrate moderate to low ER flexibility.
- High ER flexibility correlates with enhanced quality of life and reduced emotional distress in GAD patients.
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