Cognitive Processes and Risk for Emotion Dysregulation

Author(s):  
Hooria Jazaieri ◽  
Helen Uusberg ◽  
Andero Uusberg ◽  
James J. Gross

This chapter examines cognitive processes that underlie the development of emotion dysregulation. It first introduces and defines key terms including emotion, emotion regulation, and emotion dysregulation. It then introduces the authors’ theoretical perspective, the extended process model of emotion regulation, which considers emotion generation and emotion regulation as valuation systems, and describes core regulation processes, including regulation strategies. Next, using the extended process model of emotion regulation as the guiding framework, the chapter discusses how emotion dysregulation may occur during the identification, selection, implementation, and monitoring stages. The chapter concludes by considering unresolved controversies and suggests several exciting avenues for future research across basic and applied domains.

Author(s):  
Sheila E. Crowell ◽  
Robert D. Vlisides-Henry ◽  
Parisa R. Kaliush

Emotion generation, regulation, and dysregulation are complex constructs that are challenging to define and measure. This chapter reviews prevailing definitions and theories of these constructs and examines the literature across multiple levels of analysis. It adopts a developmental perspective, which guides interpretation of the literature and helps clarify discrepant points of view. The extent to which emotion generation and regulation are separable represents a significant controversy in the field. When viewed as cognitive constructs, it is virtually impossible to disentangle emotion generation and regulation. However, at the biological level, there are important differences in neural structures involved in bottom-up emotion generation processes versus those associated with top-down regulation of emotions. From a developmental perspective, emotions and emotion dysregulation emerge early in life, whereas emotion regulation strategies develop more gradually as a function of maturation and socialization. Future research should continue to reconcile different perspectives on emotion generation, regulation, and dysregulation.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruna Martins ◽  
Lyneé A. Alves ◽  
Kimberly Sarah Chiew

Emotion regulation relies on cognitive processing, but the foundational cognitive control mechanisms engaged remain unclear. The process model of emotion regulation posits that different strategies occur at different points in time, with antecedent strategies occurring early and response-focused strategies later in the affective timecourse, with cognitive processing supporting these strategies following a similar timecourse. In parallel, the Dual Mechanisms of Control (DMC) theoretical framework (Braver, 2012; Braver, Gray, & Burgess, 2007; Chiew & Braver, 2017) proposes that cognitive control operates via two temporally-distinct modes: anticipatory preparation to perform cognitive tasks (proactive), and momentary engagement in cognitive tasks as they arise (reactive). However, empirical investigations of the role of proactive and reactive control in emotion regulation have been limited. In this paper, we summarize and integrate these two theoretical perspectives. We first posit that any emotion regulation strategy may take place either early or late in the affective timecourse, depending on whether it is proactively or reactively enacted. We next provide examples of different strategies from the process model and their engagement in both control modes. In addition, we discuss how strategic dependence on the downstream emotional stimulus and response could further affect the timecourse and cognitive load of emotion regulation strategies. We conclude by discussing how controlling for timing in future research designs may clarify how populations with reduced cognitive control may demonstrate intact emotion regulation (i.e., through greater reliance on reactive strategies), and how incorporation of the DMC perspective may inform applied emotion regulation interventions for clinical populations.


2019 ◽  
pp. 144-169
Author(s):  
Andrei C Miu ◽  
Mirela I Bîlc

Research in the last decades has extensively supported the widespread involvement of emotion regulation (i.e. the processes by which one attempts to modulate the experience and expression of affect) in emotion–cognition interactions, social functioning and behavior, and health. In particular, recent work has argued that emotion regulation is a transdiagnostic mechanism in psychopathology and could thus contribute to symptoms that characterize multiple mental disorders and explain some of the genetic overlap between these disorders. Therefore, an emerging literature has started to investigate the genetic underpinnings of emotion regulation and their commonality with psychopathology. After describing the process model, which has guided much of the recent research on emotion regulation, and its implications for psychopathology, the present chapter provides a systematic review of twin and candidate gene studies on the four emotion regulation strategies that have been examined to date: cognitive reappraisal, distraction, rumination, and expressive suppression. Several potential avenues for future research, suggested by recent advances in emotion regulation research and human genetics, are outlined in the final section of this chapter.


Author(s):  
Brittany C. Speed ◽  
Greg Hajcak

Emotion dysregulation is a common feature of many psychological disorders. To date, however, most research evaluating emotion regulation has been limited to self-report assessments. Event-related potentials (ERPs) are well suited to disentangle discrete aspects of emotional processing that are critical to understanding both healthy and aberrant emotional functioning. This chapter focuses on a particular ERP component, the late positive potential (LPP), and reviews evidence that the LPP is modulated by emotional content and is sensitive to various emotion regulation strategies. Next, studies leveraging the LPP to examine individual differences in emotional processing in the context of psychopathology are reviewed. Finally, this chapter discusses methodological limitations of past research and current gaps in our understanding, including suggestions for future research using ERPs to study emotion dysregulation.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 144-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa J. Green ◽  
Gin S. Malhi

Background:Emotion regulation involves the initiation of new emotional responses and continual alteration of current emotions in response to rapidly changing environmental and social stimuli. The capacity to effectively implement emotion regulation strategies is essential for psychological health; impairments in the ability to regulate emotions may be critical to the development of clinical levels of depression, anxiety and mania.Objective:This review provides a summary of findings from current research examining the neural mechanisms of emotion regulation by means of conscious cognitive strategies of reappraisal. These findings are considered in the context of related concepts of emotion perception and emotion generation, with discussion of the likely cognitive neuropsychological contributions to emotion regulation and the implications for psychiatric disorders.Results:Convergent evidence implicates an inhibitory role of prefrontal cortex and cingulate regions upon subcortical and cortical emotion generation systems in the cognitive control of emotional experience. Concurrent modulation of cortical activity by the peripheral nervous system is highlighted by recent studies using simultaneous physiological and neuroimaging techniques. Individual differences in emotion perception, generation of affect and neuropsychological skills are likely to have direct consequences for emotion regulation.Conclusions:Emotion regulation relies on synergy within brain stem, limbic and cortical processes that promote the adaptive perception, generation and regulation of affect. Aberrant emotion processing in any of these stages may disrupt this self-sustaining regulatory system, with the potential to manifest in distinct forms of emotion dysregulation as seen in major psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.


Author(s):  
Kalin Z. Salinas ◽  
Amanda Venta

The current study proposed to determine whether adolescent emotion regulation is predictive of the amount and type of crime committed by adolescent juvenile offenders. Despite evidence in the literature linking emotion regulation to behaviour problems and aggression across the lifespan, there is no prior longitudinal research examining the predictive role of emotion regulation on adolescent recidivism, nor data regarding how emotion regulation relates to the occurrence of specific types of crimes. Our primary hypothesis was that poor emotion regulation would positively and significantly predict re-offending among adolescents. We tested our hypothesis within a binary logistic framework utilizing the Pathways to Desistance longitudinal data. Exploratory bivariate analyses were conducted regarding emotion regulation and type of crime in the service of future hypothesis generation. Though the findings did not indicate a statistically significant relation between emotion regulation and reoffending, exploratory findings suggest that some types of crime may be more linked to emotion regulation than others. In sum, the present study aimed to examine a hypothesized relation between emotion regulation and juvenile delinquency by identifying how the individual factor of dysregulated emotion regulation may have played a role. This study’s findings did not provide evidence that emotion regulation was a significant predictor of recidivism over time but did suggest that emotion regulation is related to participation in certain types of crime one year later. Directions for future research that build upon the current study were described. Indeed, identifying emotion regulation as a predictor of adolescent crime has the potential to enhance current crime prevention efforts and clinical treatments for juvenile offenders; this is based on the large amount of treatment literature, which documents that emotion regulation is malleable through treatment and prevention programming.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S394-S394
Author(s):  
G. Rogier ◽  
P. Velotti

IntroductionTheories have conceptualized pathological gambling as an attempt to cope with emotional states. However, there is a lack of research about emotion dysregulation in this population. In a similar way, few is known about the nature of emotion regulation strategies used by pathological gamblers. Furthermore, it is not clear if pathological gamblers have difficulties to regulate negative emotions (as sadness) or positive ones (as excitement).ObjectivesWe sought to explore the associations among pathological gambling, emotion dysregulation and different types of emotion regulation strategies, comparing a clinical sample with community participants.AimsTo highlight similarities and differences in emotion dysregulation between pathological gamblers and healthy participants.MethodsA sample of pathological gamblers and a sample of healthy men, were administered the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Difficulties in Emotion regulation Scale-Positive (DERS-P), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Ways of Savoring Checklist (WOSC).ResultsAs expected, both levels of emotion dysregulation and suppression were significantly higher in the clinical sample while levels of savoring and reappraisal were significantly higher in the community sample.ConclusionsSuch results confirm the theorization of pathological gambling as a dysfunctional response to emotional states and underline the role of positive emotions. Specifically, pathological gamblers may be prone to suppress negative emotions instead to engage in functional strategies as reappraisal. Gamblers also fail to regulate positive emotions showing a poor capacity of savoring positive moments.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 1023-1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Lotte Van Beveren ◽  
Sven C. Mueller ◽  
Caroline Braet

AbstractAlthough numerous studies reveal altered respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) among children, adolescents, and adults who exhibit emotion dysregulation, effects of temperamental vulnerability and parental mental health on RSA remain unclear. We evaluated the relationship among emotion regulation, RSA, and RSA reactivity in a pooled sample of 24 vulnerable and 31 resilient adolescents (mean age = 13.69 years; 60% girls), including associations with temperamental vulnerability and parental depressive symptoms. Participants watched a neutral film clip while their resting RSA was recorded, and then completed a reward and frustration task, using an affective Posner paradigm. Temperament and emotion regulation were assessed via self-report and parent report, and parents reported on their own depressive symptoms. Low resting RSA was associated with temperamental negative emotionality, whereas greater RSA reactivity to frustration was associated with maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. No significant relations were found between RSA and parental depressive symptoms. This study elucidates the role of RSA as a biomarker of individual differences in emotion dysregulation and temperamental vulnerability and stresses the importance of considering multiple units of analyses, as well as functional domains, when studying emotional responding and regulation in adolescents.


2020 ◽  
pp. 216770262095363
Author(s):  
T. H. Stanley Seah ◽  
Lindsey M. Matt ◽  
Karin G. Coifman

Self-distancing is associated with adaptive emotion regulation (ER), thereby making it a common treatment target across psychotherapies. However, less is known about cognitive processes that facilitate self-distancing. Working memory capacity (WMC) has been associated with self-distancing and ER, although research has not directly examined WMC and spontaneous self-distancing activity. Here, we tested the association between WMC and self-distancing (indexed by pronoun use) in relation to ER during a negative-mood induction in college students ( N = 209). Results suggested a mediation model: Higher WMC predicted lower I and greater we pronouns (i.e., greater self-distancing), which in turn predicted lower negative affect. Furthermore, higher WMC predicted greater we pronouns, which predicted higher positive affect. No significant mediation was observed for you. These findings enrich current theoretical models describing WMC and self-distancing in ER and suggest important future research to further elucidate the cognitive processes underlying self-distancing with implications for clinical practice.


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