Age differences among older adults in the use of emotion regulation strategies. What happens among over 85s and centenarians?

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 974-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igone Etxeberria ◽  
Itziar Etxebarria ◽  
Elena Urdaneta ◽  
Jose Javier Yanguas
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Regulation Strategies

scholarly journals Age Differences in Beliefs About Emotion Regulation Strategies

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 316-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly M Livingstone ◽  
Vanessa L Castro ◽  
Derek M Isaacowitz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Latent Profile Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Regulation Strategies

Abstract Objectives Age shifts in emotion regulation may be rooted in beliefs about different strategies. We test whether there are age differences in the beliefs people hold about specific emotion regulation strategies derived from the process model of emotion regulation and whether profiles of emotion beliefs vary by age. Method An adult life-span sample (N = 557) sorted 13 emotion regulation strategies either by (a) how effective the strategies would be or (b) how likely they would be to use them, in 15 negative emotion-eliciting situations. Results Younger adults ranked attentional and cognitive distraction more effective than older adults, and preferred avoidance, distraction, and rumination more (and attentional deployment less) than middle-aged and older adults. Latent profile analysis on preferences identified three distinct strategy profiles: Classically adaptive regulators preferred a variety of strategies; situation modifiers showed strong preferences for changing situations; a small percentage of people preferred avoidance and rumination. Middle-aged and older adults were more likely than younger adults to be classically adaptive regulators (as opposed to situation modifiers or avoiders/ruminators). Discussion These findings provide insight into the reasons people of different ages may select and implement different emotion regulation strategies, which may influence their emotional well-being.

scholarly journals Daily interpersonal tensions and well-being among older adults: The role of emotion regulation strategies.

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 578-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kira S. Birditt ◽  
Courtney A. Polenick ◽  
Gloria Luong ◽  
Susan T. Charles ◽  
Karen L. Fingerman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Regulation Strategies

scholarly journals Affective Fear of Crime and Its Association with Depressive Feelings and Life Satisfaction in Advanced Age: Cognitive Emotion Regulation as a Moderator?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4727
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Golovchanova ◽  
Katja Boersma ◽  
Henrik Andershed ◽  
Karin Hellfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Advanced Age ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Cognitive Emotion Regulation ◽  
Depressive Feelings ◽  
Regulation Strategies

Fear of crime is a substantial problem for older adults and is associated with reduced subjective well-being. However, less is known about factors that could moderate the associations between fear of crime and mental health problems and well-being in advanced age. Cognitive emotion regulation could serve as a potentially buffering factor for adverse health outcomes related to fear of crime due to its potential importance in managing feelings when facing threatening situations. The current study investigated the associations between affective fear of crime with depressive feelings and life satisfaction and examined whether adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies moderated these associations in a sample of older adults (age 64–106) in Sweden (N = 622). The results showed that affective fear of crime was associated with more depressive feelings, less life satisfaction, and more frequent use of such maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies as rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others. Moreover, rumination and self-blame moderated the associations between affective fear of crime and life satisfaction. Adaptive emotion regulation strategies were not associated with affective fear of crime and did not decrease the strength of its association with depressive feelings and with life satisfaction. These findings allow us to conclude that maladaptive emotion regulation could be considered a vulnerability factor in the association of fear of crime with life satisfaction.

Age Differences in Emotion Regulation During a Distressing Film Scene

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Hofer ◽  
Laetitia Burkhard ◽  
Mathias Allemand
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Manipulation Check ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Specific Emotion ◽  
Regulation Strategies ◽  
Theoretical Considerations

Recent research has emphasized age differences in emotion regulation strategies. However, not much is known about age differences in the use of different regulation strategies during a highly distressing film scene that evokes strong negative emotions of anger and sadness. Therefore, we examined age differences in four situation-specific emotion regulation strategies – namely, rumination, distraction, suppression, and mediality (a form of media-specific reappraisal). A sample of 99 older and 108 younger participants reported their current emotional state, then watched a highly distressing film scene, and finally reported their emotional reactions to the scene and the emotion regulation strategies they used. The manipulation check indicated that the film was successful in eliciting strong negative emotions of sadness and anger. Furthermore, after securing measurement invariance, we found that older adults reported higher scores in mediality and suppression than younger adults. No differences were found concerning distraction and rumination. Results are discussed in the light of theoretical considerations.

The Influence of Age on Emotion Regulation Strategies and Psychological Distress

2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 668-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Brummer ◽  
Lusia Stopa ◽  
Romola Bucks
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Emotional Suppression ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Regulation Strategies

Background: To date there is promising, yet limited, evidence to suggest that differences exist between older and younger adults’ emotion regulation styles. Aims: The study aimed to explore emotion regulation style across the adult lifespan by assessing whether self-reported reappraisal, or suppression, differs across age groups, and how these emotion regulation strategies may impact upon psychological distress. Method: Three hundred and seventeen younger, 175 middle-aged and 85 older adults’ emotion regulation styles and levels of psychological distress were measured using self-report questionnaires and examined using a cross-sectional design. Results: The findings suggest that, compared to younger adults, older adults make greater use of suppression, the emotion regulation strategy. This greater use of suppression by older adults was not related to increased levels of psychological distress. By contrast, younger adults who reported high levels of suppression reported higher levels of psychological distress. In addition, older adults reported less anxiety and stress than younger adults, with no age differences in depression. Conclusions: Findings suggest a possible decoupling of the use of emotional suppression and psychological distress with age. Suppression may be a useful form of emotion regulation for the stressors experienced in later life and, arguably, therefore may not be associated with the negative outcomes observed in younger adults.

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