Date Thesis Awarded
5-2024
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only
Degree Name
Bachelors of Science (BS)
Department
Psychology
Advisor
Meghan Quinn
Committee Members
Kelly Crace
Adrian Bravo
Abstract
Emotion regulation (ER) is a critical component in comprehending disorders such as depression. The ability to adaptively regulate emotions is frequently impaired in individuals with depression, and effective ER strategies may be essential in managing depressive symptoms. For this reason, understanding factors that may influence ER is important. Prior studies have indicated that distraction is preferred over reappraisal in situations evoking higher-intensity negative affect (and vice versa). This pattern has been demonstrated to be an adaptive and efficient method for regulating emotions. The purpose of this study was to see if recent experiences of interpersonal stress may alter the selection, flexibility, and effectiveness of ER under different intensity levels. We investigated how individuals implemented three ER techniques (distraction, acceptance, and reappraisal) while viewing high- and low-intensity negative images in a sample of 131 college students. The assessment of ER choice, flexibility, and efficacy under stress was conducted through a laboratory computer task where participants chose to implement ER strategies to reduce the negative affect of viewing stress-inducing images. Although we observed ER patterns correlating with image intensity that were consistent with previous literature, we did not find a significant role for interpersonal stress in ER. Marginal significance was found when examining the influence of interpersonal stress on ER choice patterns. As expected, those with high interpersonal stress favored distraction over reappraisal as the preferred choice at high levels of image intensity; however, a similar pattern was observed at low levels of interpersonal stress. Interpersonal stress did not significantly predict ER flexibility or patterns of ER effectiveness. Further investigations of the potential impact of interpersonal stress on ER choice, flexibility, and effectiveness may provide helpful insights into factors that may contribute to the exacerbation or remission of psychopathology symptoms.
Recommended Citation
Zhou, Quanhan, "Emotion Regulation Choice, Flexibility, and Effectiveness in the Face of Interpersonal Stress" (2024). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 2094.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/2094
