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Updated: Jul 26, 2026
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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Dysphoria and children's processing of supportive interactions
S R Shirk1, M Van Horn, D Leber
1Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Colorado 80208, USA.
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
|June 1, 1997
Summary
Dysphoric youth perceive supportive interactions less positively than their peers. Prior negative support experiences influence how children process and evaluate current social support, impacting their emotional well-being.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Background:
- Understanding how emotional state influences social perception is crucial for child mental health.
- Dysphoria in youth can alter their interpretation of social interactions, potentially affecting relationship quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how dysphoric and nondysphoric preteens and early adolescents process supportive interactions.
- To examine the role of prior support experiences and self-reference in evaluating social support.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-two participants aged 10-13 evaluated videotaped interactions depicting varying levels of maternal support.
- Participants were assessed on their perceptions of supportiveness and helpfulness under different instructional conditions (self-reference).
- Self-reported prior support experiences and beliefs about the genuineness of support were collected.
Main Results:
- Dysphoric youth rated supportive interactions less positively than nondysphoric youth, particularly in self-referenced conditions.
- The level of depicted support did not significantly alter these group differences in processing.
- Dysphoric participants reported fewer positive prior support experiences and perceived support as less genuine.
Conclusions:
- Prior negative experiences with social support significantly influence how dysphoric youth evaluate current supportive interactions.
- Dysphoria is associated with a more critical and less positive appraisal of social support among early adolescents.
- Interventions should consider addressing past support deficits and fostering more positive perceptions of social support.
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