Department of Psychology, University of Toronto.
Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2018 Aug;147(8):1170-1190. doi: 10.1037/xge0000396. Epub 2018 Apr 5.
As humans, we have a unique capacity to reflect on our experiences, including emotions. Over time, we develop beliefs about the nature of emotions, and these beliefs are consequential, guiding how we respond to emotions and how we feel as a consequence. One fundamental belief concerns the controllability of emotions: Believing emotions are uncontrollable (entity beliefs) should reduce the likelihood of trying to control emotional experiences using effective regulation strategies like reappraisal; this, in turn, could negatively affect core indices of psychological health, including depressive symptoms. This model holds particular relevance during youth, when emotion-related beliefs first develop and stabilize and when maladaptive beliefs could contribute to emerging risk for depression. In the present investigation, a pilot diary study (N = 223, aged 21-60) demonstrated that entity beliefs were associated with using reappraisal less in everyday life, even when controlling for possible confounds (i.e., self-efficacy, pessimism, stress exposure, stress reactivity). Then, two studies examined whether entity beliefs and associated impairments in reappraisal may set youths on a maladaptive trajectory: In a cross-sectional study (N = 136, aged 14-18), youths with stronger entity beliefs experienced greater depressive symptoms, and this link was mediated by lower reappraisal. This pattern was replicated and extended in a longitudinal study (N = 227, aged 10-18), wherein youth- and parent-reported depressive symptoms were assessed 18 months after assessing beliefs. These results suggest that entity beliefs about emotion constitute a risk factor for depression that acts via reappraisal, adding to the growing literature on emotion beliefs and their consequences for self-regulation and health. (PsycINFO Database Record
作为人类，我们具有反思自身经历的独特能力，包括情绪。随着时间的推移，我们形成了对情绪本质的信念，这些信念具有重要意义，指导着我们如何应对情绪以及我们由此产生的感受。一个基本信念涉及情绪的可控性：相信情绪不可控（实体信念）应该会降低使用有效调节策略（如重评）来控制情绪体验的可能性；这反过来又会对心理健康的核心指标产生负面影响，包括抑郁症状。该模型在年轻人中具有特殊的相关性，因为在这个阶段，与情绪相关的信念首次发展和稳定，而适应不良的信念可能会导致抑郁的风险增加。在本研究中，一项试点日记研究（N=223，年龄 21-60 岁）表明，即使在控制可能的混淆因素（即自我效能感、悲观主义、压力暴露、压力反应性）后，实体信念与日常生活中较少使用重评相关。然后，两项研究探讨了实体信念和相关的重评受损是否可能使年轻人走上适应不良的轨迹：在一项横断面研究（N=136，年龄 14-18 岁）中，实体信念较强的年轻人经历了更多的抑郁症状，而这种联系是通过重评降低来介导的。这一模式在一项纵向研究（N=227，年龄 10-18 岁）中得到了复制和扩展，其中青少年和家长报告的抑郁症状在评估信念 18 个月后进行评估。这些结果表明，情绪的实体信念是抑郁的一个风险因素，其作用途径是通过重评，这增加了关于情绪信念及其对自我调节和健康影响的日益增长的文献。（PsycINFO 数据库记录）
