Durham E Leighton, Micciche Emily T, Reimann Gabrielle E, Archer Camille, Jeong Hee Jung, Dupont Randolph M, Kaczkurkin Antonia N
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
Department of Analytics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Online, USA.
J Affect Disord. 2025 Feb 1;370:26-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.083. Epub 2024 Oct 24.
Anxiety commonly occurs after experiencing negative life events. However, the role of emotion regulation strategies in moderating the relationship between negative life events and anxiety remains unclear. The current study 1) examines the associations between emotion regulation strategies and trait anxiety, and 2) explores whether the relationship between negative life events and trait anxiety is moderated by emotion regulation strategies, in particular, adaptative strategies such as cognitive reappraisal.
We used data from 1384 adolescents and young adults (ages 12-27) who completed measures of negative life events, emotion regulation strategies, and trait anxiety. Emotion regulation was measured using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form.
Multiple regression analyses showed that limited access to emotion regulation strategies, difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior, lack of emotional awareness, lack of emotional clarity, nonacceptance of emotional responses, and use of cognitive reappraisal were associated with trait anxiety. Additionally, the positive association between negative life events and trait anxiety was moderated by difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior and use of cognitive reappraisal. Sex differences were apparent for difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior. Age-based analyses revealed that these interactions were specific to young adults.
Limitations include a cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report measures.
Less use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies was associated with greater trait anxiety. Further, the relationship between negative life events and trait anxiety in young adults may depend on one's ability to engage in goal-directed behavior and use cognitive reappraisal.
焦虑通常在经历负面生活事件后出现。然而，情绪调节策略在缓和负面生活事件与焦虑之间关系中所起的作用仍不明确。本研究1）考察情绪调节策略与特质焦虑之间的关联，以及2）探究负面生活事件与特质焦虑之间的关系是否由情绪调节策略（特别是认知重评等适应性策略）调节。
我们使用了来自1384名青少年和青年成年人（年龄在12 - 27岁之间）的数据，他们完成了关于负面生活事件、情绪调节策略和特质焦虑的测量。情绪调节通过情绪调节问卷和情绪调节困难量表简版进行测量。
多元回归分析表明，情绪调节策略的使用受限、难以进行目标导向行为、缺乏情绪意识、缺乏情绪清晰度、不接受情绪反应以及使用认知重评与特质焦虑相关。此外，负面生活事件与特质焦虑之间的正相关关系受到进行目标导向行为的困难程度和认知重评使用情况的调节。在进行目标导向行为方面存在明显的性别差异。基于年龄的分析显示，这些交互作用在青年成年人中具有特异性。
局限性包括横断面设计以及依赖自我报告测量。
较少使用适应性情绪调节策略与更高的特质焦虑相关。此外，青年成年人中负面生活事件与特质焦虑之间的关系可能取决于其进行目标导向行为和使用认知重评的能力。
