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Matt LM, Seah THS, Coifman KG. Effects of a brief online emotion word learning task on negative emotion differentiation, emotional self-efficacy, and prospective distress: Preliminary findings. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299540. [PMID: 38416746 PMCID: PMC10901351 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disruptions in emotion processing are common across psychological disorders. Research suggests that emotion differentiation (ED; specificity in language used to characterize one's emotional experience) and emotional self-efficacy (ESE; perceived ability to understand and manage one's emotions) are important transdiagnostic factors associated with various psychological benefits. Whether ED and ESE can be improved in adults remains largely unclear. METHODS Using a longitudinal prospective design, we tested a brief online training targeting emotion word knowledge (vs. a control condition) to see if it improved negative ED (NED) and ESE in a college sample. Moreover, we tested if changes in NED or ESE mediated the effects of the training on levels of psychological distress one week and two-months post-intervention. RESULTS Findings provided partial support for our hypotheses. Individuals whose ESE increased post-intervention reported lower levels of distress two months later. Moreover, exploratory analyses revealed those who demonstrated greater training engagement experienced increases in NED that in turn predicted lower distress one-week post-intervention. However, there were no direct effects of intervention group on NED or ESE and distress. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the potential of a remotely-administered emotion-language intervention to influence key dimensions of emotion processing and suggest avenues for further refinement. Both NED and ESE may be malleable for some, and that enhancements in ESE may produce long-term psychological benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M. Matt
- Lyra Health, Burlingame, California, United States of America
| | - T. H. Stanley Seah
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Karin G. Coifman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States of America
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Sudit E, Luby J, Gilbert K. Sad, Sadder, Saddest: Recognition of Sad and Happy Emotional Intensity, Adverse Childhood Experiences and Depressive Symptoms in Preschoolers. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2022; 53:1221-1230. [PMID: 34117580 PMCID: PMC8664896 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-021-01203-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACES) have repeatedly been associated with depression. The ability to differentiate emotional intensity is a protective factor for psychopathology and in the context of life stressors, poor negative emotion differentiation (ED) is associated with depressive symptoms. However, little is known about whether the ability to recognize negative emotional intensity, a theorized developmental prerequisite of ED, influences the relationship between ACES and depressive symptoms in early childhood. The current study examined the interactive effects of ACES, the ability to recognize emotional intensity and depressive symptoms in 249 preschoolers enriched for depression. Findings demonstrated that when experiencing ACES, sad (not happy) emotion recognition was associated with elevated depressive symptoms. Specifically, when facing multiple ACEs, preschoolers with poor and moderate ability to recognize sad emotional intensity exhibited elevated depressive symptoms. Findings demonstrate that when experiencing elevated ACES, sad emotion recognition may be a protective factor for depression in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Sudit
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Joan Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Kirsten Gilbert
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
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3
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Wu Q, Zhao J, Zhao G, Li X, Du H, Chi P. Affective Profiles and Psychosocial Adjustment among Chinese Adolescents and Adults with Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Person-Centered Approach. JOURNAL OF HAPPINESS STUDIES 2022; 23:3909-3927. [PMID: 36217552 PMCID: PMC9533975 DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00566-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Two studies were conducted to explore the patterns of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) while considering collectivist cultural specificity (dialecticism) and to examine the associations of affective profiles with psychosocial adjustment. METHODS We used two Chinese samples, one comprising adults with adverse childhood experiences (N = 488) and one comprising ordinary adolescents (N = 635). The participants completed scales on PA, NA, and psychosocial adjustment, including mental health problems (depressive symptoms, anxiety), personal strengths (self-esteem, gratitude, resilience), and life satisfaction. RESULTS Three profiles were identified through latent profile analysis: well-adjusted (high PA, low NA), low affective (low PA, low NA), and moderate affective (moderate PA, moderate NA). Participants in the well-adjusted profile had the fewest mental health problems (depressive symptoms, anxiety) and scored highest on personal strengths (self-esteem, gratitude, resilience) and life satisfaction. Participants in the low affective profile had fewer mental health problems than those in the moderate affective profile. CONCLUSION Individual differences and cultural variations should be considered when exploring affective profiles. Future interventions aimed at promoting affective well-being should accommodate dialecticism and individual differences in the target population. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10902-022-00566-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglu Wu
- Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Junfeng Zhao
- Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan China
| | - Guoxiang Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC US
| | - Hongfei Du
- Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Peilian Chi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
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Mandal SP, Arya YK, Pandey R, Singh T. The mediating role of emotion regulation in the emotional complexity and subjective well-being relationship. CURRENT ISSUES IN PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 10:277-286. [PMID: 38013733 PMCID: PMC10535639 DOI: 10.5114/cipp.2022.114457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotional complexity involves greater emotional awareness and understanding and associates strongly with adaptive emotion regulation. Similarly, regulation of emotion is vital for achieving, restoring, and sustaining subjective well-being. The present study, therefore, tested the mediatory role of emotion regulatory processes in the relationship between emotional complexity and subjective well-being. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE A total of 285 participants completed self-report measures of emotional complexity, emotion regulation, positive/negative affect, and life satisfaction, and the data were analyzed using correlations and structural equation modelling. RESULTS Findings indicated that individuals high in emotional complexity experience greater subjective well-being. Moreover, the results revealed that reappraisal mediated the relationship of emotion differentiation with positive affect and life satisfaction whereas suppression mediated the relationship between the range of emotions and life satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the significance of emotion regulation in mediating the relationship between emotional complexity and subjective well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satchit P. Mandal
- Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, India
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Yogesh K. Arya
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rakesh Pandey
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Tushar Singh
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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5
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Relationship between Direct and Relational Bullying and Emotional Well-being among Adolescents: The role of Self-compassion. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02924-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe objectives of the present study were, first, to analyze the impact of direct and relational bullying on emotional well-being, and second to study if self-compassion could foster emotional well-being among those who suffer bullying. A sample composed of 433 adolescents (Mage = 13.28; SD = .72) answered two measures of direct and relational bullying based on the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The results showed that being a victim of either relational or direct bullying was associated with lower scores in positive affect and negative affect, while direct bullying was only associated with negative affect. Self-compassion was a strong predictor of emotional well-being, and self-compassion was a partial mediator between being a victim of bullying (either relational or direct) and negative affect. This research adds evidence that self-compassion may be an important component in prevention and intervention programs with victims of bullying.
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Arbel R, Mason TB, Dunton GF. Transactional links between children daily emotions and internalizing symptoms: a six-wave ecological momentary assessment study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:68-77. [PMID: 34137031 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study explored the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between everyday emotion dimensions and internalizing symptoms during the transition to early adolescence. We tested associations between children's intensity and instability of daily negative emotions (NE), positive emotions (PE), and daily NE differentiation (NED) with children's self-reported and their mothers' report of children's internalizing symptoms, across six waves, each wave separated by six months. METHODS The sample included 199 ethnically diverse mother [Mage at baseline = 40.1 years (SD = 6.1] and child [Mage at baseline = 10.1 (SD = 0.90), 51% girls] dyads, who participated in six 7-day waves of ecological momentary assessment (EMA). During each wave, children reported on PE (i.e. happy and joyful) and NE (i.e. mad, sad, and stressed) up to eight random times per day through smartphone-based EMA. Children and mothers reported on children's internalizing symptoms at each wave. We used random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) to test within- and between-person effects. RESULTS At the within-person level, increased NE and decreased PE intensity, more unstable NE and PE, and decreased NED at any given wave were positively associated with children's self-reported internalizing symptoms but not with mother-reported child symptoms. However, emotion dimensions did not predict child-reported nor mother-reported child symptoms at the next wave. At the between-person level, higher average NE, more unstable PE and NE, and lower NED were positively associated with average child-reported and mother-reported child internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that emotional intensity, instability, and differentiation could be conceptualized as manifestations of internalizing symptoms but not as risk factors for its progression, or residual manifestations of it, among typical children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reout Arbel
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tyler B Mason
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Genevieve F Dunton
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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7
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Differential beta desynchronisation responses to dynamic emotional facial expressions are attenuated in higher trait anxiety and autism. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:1404-1420. [PMID: 35761029 PMCID: PMC9622532 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01015-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Daily life demands that we differentiate between a multitude of emotional facial expressions (EFEs). The mirror neuron system (MNS) is becoming increasingly implicated as a neural network involved with understanding emotional body expressions. However, the specificity of the MNS's involvement in emotion recognition has remained largely unexplored. This study investigated whether six basic dynamic EFEs (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise) would be differentiated through event-related desynchronisation (ERD) of sensorimotor alpha and beta oscillatory activity, which indexes sensorimotor MNS activity. We found that beta ERD differentiated happy, fearful, and sad dynamic EFEs at the central region of interest, but not at occipital regions. Happy EFEs elicited significantly greater central beta ERD relative to fearful and sad EFEs within 800 - 2,000 ms after EFE onset. These differences were source-localised to the primary somatosensory cortex, which suggests they are likely to reflect differential sensorimotor simulation rather than differential attentional engagement. Furthermore, individuals with higher trait anxiety showed less beta ERD differentiation between happy and sad faces. Similarly, individuals with higher trait autism showed less beta ERD differentiation between happy and fearful faces. These findings suggest that the differential simulation of specific affective states is attenuated in individuals with higher trait anxiety and autism. In summary, the MNS appears to support the skills needed for emotion processing in daily life, which may be influenced by certain individual differences. This provides novel evidence for the notion that simulation-based emotional skills may underlie the emotional difficulties that accompany affective disorders, such as anxiety.
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8
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Vedernikova E, Kuppens P, Erbas Y. From Knowledge to Differentiation: Increasing Emotion Knowledge Through an Intervention Increases Negative Emotion Differentiation. Front Psychol 2021; 12:703757. [PMID: 34899459 PMCID: PMC8662934 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Labeling emotions with a high degree of granularity appears to be beneficial for well-being. However, there are individual differences in the level of emotion differentiation, and some individuals do not appear to differentiate much between different emotions. Low differentiation is associated with maladaptive outcomes, therefore such individuals might benefit from interventions that can increase their level of emotion differentiation. To this end, we tested the effects of an emotion knowledge intervention on the level of emotion differentiation. One hundred and twenty participants were assigned to either an experimental or a control condition. Emotion differentiation was assessed with a Scenario Rating Task before and after the intervention, and at follow-up. As predicted, negative emotion differentiation increased significantly after the emotion knowledge intervention, and this increase was not observed in the control group. Positive emotion differentiation also increased slightly; however, it did not reach significance level. This finding suggests that an emotion knowledge intervention might be beneficial for increasing negative emotion differentiation and may have implications for the clinical context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Kuppens
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yasemin Erbas
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
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9
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Hu X, Wang F, Zhang D. Similar brains blend emotion in similar ways: Neural representations of individual difference in emotion profiles. Neuroimage 2021; 247:118819. [PMID: 34920085 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Our daily emotional experience is a complex construct that usually involves multiple emotions blended in a context-dependent manner. However, the co-occurring and context-dependent nature of human emotions was understated in previous studies when addressing the individual difference in emotional experiences. The present study proposed a situated and blended 'profile' perspective to characterize individualized emotional experiences. Eighty participants watched a series of emotional videos with their EEG recorded, and the individual differences in their emotion profiles were measured as the vector distances between their multidimensional emotion ratings for these video stimuli. This measure was found to be a reliable descriptor of individualized emotional experiences and could efficiently predict classical emotional complexity indices. More importantly, inter-subject representational analyses revealed that similar emotion profiles were associated with similar delta-band activities over the prefrontal and temporo-parietal regions and similar theta-band activities over the frontal regions. Furthermore, left- and right-lateralized temporo-parietal representations were observed for positive and negative emotion profiles, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the potential of taking a 'profile' perspective for understanding individual differences in human emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hu
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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10
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Thompson RJ, Liu DY, Sudit E, Boden M. Emotion Differentiation in Current and Remitted Major Depressive Disorder. Front Psychol 2021; 12:685851. [PMID: 34539489 PMCID: PMC8440990 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
People with current major depressive disorder (MDD) experience diminished emotion differentiation. We tested the hypothesis that this emotional disturbance is chronic and also characterizes those whose MDD has remitted. As our main aim, we examined emotion differentiation in conjunction with elevated negative and diminished positive emotional intensity, which are both cardinal symptoms of MDD. As an exploratory aim, we examined the predominant theoretical conceptualization that people low in emotion differentiation use more general state terms (e.g., bad) and fewer emotion terms (e.g., anger) to describe their emotional experience. Participants (assessed via diagnostic interview) included individuals who had current MDD (current depressed; n = 48), individuals whose MDD was in full remission (remitted depressed; n = 80), and healthy controls (n = 87). Participants also completed two self-report measures of depressive symptoms and reported momentary emotion repeatedly for 14 days via experience sampling, from which we computed emotion differentiation (i.e., intraclass correlation coefficient) and emotional intensity (i.e., average of the mean emotion ratings across surveys). Finally, participants described a momentary emotional experience via an open-response format, which was coded for the use of general state and emotion terms. Compared to the healthy control group, the current and remitted depressed groups showed similarly low levels of negative and positive emotion differentiation. These findings suggest that diminished emotion differentiation may be a stable characteristic of depressive disorders and a possible target for future prevention efforts. Diminished negative emotion differentiation was significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms as assessed by only one of the depression measures, though this finding did not hold after adjusting for negative emotional intensity. Finally, participants’ emotion differentiation was not associated with use of general state and emotion terms, and groups did not use general state and emotion terms in ways that were consistent with the predominant theoretical conceptualization of emotion differentiation, suggesting the need for clarification in this research domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee J Thompson
- Emotion and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Daphne Y Liu
- Emotion and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Ella Sudit
- Emotion and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Matt Boden
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
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11
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Lischetzke T, Schemer L, Glombiewski JA, In-Albon T, Karbach J, Könen T. Negative Emotion Differentiation Attenuates the Within-Person Indirect Effect of Daily Stress on Nightly Sleep Quality Through Calmness. Front Psychol 2021; 12:684117. [PMID: 34456798 PMCID: PMC8385208 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.684117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to differentiate between negative emotional states [negative emotion differentiation (NED)] has been conceptualized as a trait that facilitates effective emotion regulation and buffers stress reactivity. In the present research, we investigated the role of NED in within-person processes of daily affect regulation and coping during times of stress (the first COVID-19-related pandemic lockdown in April 2020). Using intensive longitudinal data, we analyzed whether daily stress had an indirect effect on sleep quality through calmness in the evening, and we tested whether NED moderated this within-person indirect effect by buffering the link between daily stress and calmness in the evening. A non-representative community sample (n = 313, 15–82 years old) participated in a 21-day ambulatory assessment with twice-daily surveys. The results of multilevel mediation models showed that higher daily stress was related to within-day change in calmness from morning to evening, resulting in less calmness in the evening within persons. Less calmness in the evening, in turn, was related to poorer nightly sleep quality within persons. As expected, higher NED predicted a less negative within-person link between daily stress and calmness in the evening, thereby attenuating the indirect effect of daily stress on nightly sleep quality through calmness. This effect held when we controlled for mean negative emotions and depression. The results provide support for a diathesis-stress model of NED, and hence, for NED as a protective factor that helps to explain why some individuals remain more resilient during times of stress than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Lischetzke
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Lea Schemer
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | | | - Tina In-Albon
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Tanja Könen
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
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12
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Nook EC. Emotion Differentiation and Youth Mental Health: Current Understanding and Open Questions. Front Psychol 2021; 12:700298. [PMID: 34421752 PMCID: PMC8377228 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of research identifies emotion differentiation-the ability to specifically identify one's emotions-as a key skill for well-being. High emotion differentiation is associated with healthier and more effective regulation of one's emotions, and low emotion differentiation has been documented in several forms of psychopathology. However, the lion's share of this research has focused on adult samples, even though approximately 50% of mental disorders onset before age 18. This review curates what we know about the development of emotion differentiation and its implications for youth mental health. I first review published studies investigating how emotion differentiation develops across childhood and adolescence, as well as studies testing relations between emotion differentiation and mental health in youth samples. Emerging evidence suggests that emotion differentiation actually falls across childhood and adolescence, a counterintuitive pattern that merits further investigation. Additionally, several studies find relations between emotion differentiation and youth mental health, but some instability in results emerged. I then identify open questions that limit our current understanding of emotion differentiation, including (i) lack of clarity as to the valid measurement of emotion differentiation, (ii) potential third variables that could explain relations between emotion differentiation and mental-health (e.g., mean negative affect, IQ, personality, and circularity with outcomes), and (iii) lack of clear mechanistic models regarding the development of emotion differentiation and how it facilitates well-being. I conclude with a discussion of future directions that can address open questions and work toward interventions that treat (or even prevent) psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik C. Nook
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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13
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Metaphorical expressions originating from human senses: Psycholinguistic and affective norms for German metaphors for internal state terms (MIST database). Behav Res Methods 2021; 54:365-377. [PMID: 34240337 PMCID: PMC8863705 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01639-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Internal states, e.g., emotions, cognitive states, or desires, are often verbalized by figurative means, in particular by embodied metaphors involving human senses, such as touch, taste, and smell. The present paper presents a database for German metaphorical expressions conveying internal states with human senses as their source domains. 168 metaphorical expressions from the source domains of vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and temperature combined with literal equivalents were collected and rated by 643 adults. The agreement between the metaphor and an equivalent literal expression, as well as emotional valence, arousal, and familiarity values were assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. Between the metaphorical expressions and their equivalents, familiarity, but not valence or arousal differed significantly while agreement ratings indicated high similarity in meaning. The novel database offers carefully controlled stimuli that can be used in both empirical metaphor research and research on internal state language. Using part of the stimuli in a sentence completion experiment revealed a significant preference for literal over metaphorical expressions that cannot be attributed to higher familiarity levels.
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14
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Hecht MF, Garber CE. Effectiveness of the POWER Program in Improving Physical Activity and Executive Function in Fifth Grade Students. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2021; 91:574-583. [PMID: 34005838 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High volumes of school-based sedentary time may impact academic achievement and executive function negatively. This study evaluated a multimodal classroom program's (POWER) effect on fifth graders' physical activity (PA) and executive function. METHODS Six 5th grade classes (3 = intervention [POW]; 3 = waitlist control [CONT]) in 2 diverse New Jersey schools participated. Data were collected before, during, and post-intervention. PA was assessed via accelerometer, executive function by NIH Toolbox, and academic achievement via standardized math tests. The POW principal, teachers, and select students participated in follow-up interviews. Group comparisons were made by multivariate repeated-measures ANOVA and linear regression. RESULTS PA decreased in both groups over time, but POW's post-intervention class-time PA was significantly higher than CONT's. POW's NIH Toolbox score increased 3 percentiles more than CONT's. Intervention fidelity was associated with significantly higher scores for one NIH Toolbox test. Student math test scores increased significantly for both schools, but there was no significant main effect for group. POW's feedback was positive, with the principal reporting fewer disciplinary referrals and teachers and students conveying positive growth. CONCLUSIONS Overall, POW's positive changes and the favorable reception of POWER support POWER'S ability to improve children's socioemotional and physical health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy Feldman Hecht
- Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 W. 120th Street, Box 93, New York, NY, 10027
| | - Carol Ewing Garber
- Applied Physiology Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 W. 120th Street, Box 93, New York, NY, 10027
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15
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Wang Y, Shangguan C, Gu C, Hu B. Individual Differences in Negative Emotion Differentiation Predict Resting-State Spontaneous Emotional Regulatory Processes. Front Psychol 2020; 11:576119. [PMID: 33244304 PMCID: PMC7684205 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative emotion differentiation facilitates emotion regulation. However, whether individual differences in negative emotion differentiation is associated with resting-state spontaneous emotion regulation remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of individual differences in negative emotion differentiation on spontaneous emotional regulatory processes as indexed by resting electroencephalogram (EEG) indicators (e.g., frontal alpha asymmetry and theta/beta ratio). Participants (n = 40, Mage = 21.74 years, 62% women) completed a negative emotion differentiation task. Afterward, 4 min of resting EEG data were recorded. Multiple regression results showed that negative emotion differentiation significantly predicted the alpha asymmetry at electrode pairs (F4–F3 and FP2–FP1) and the theta/beta ratio at the F3 and FZ electrode sites. Individuals with high negative emotion differentiation presented more left-lateralized activations and a lower theta/beta ratio. Taken together, these results suggest that individuals with high negative emotion differentiation show enhanced spontaneous emotional regulatory functioning. Thus, we provided the first resting-state neural evidence on emotion differentiation of spontaneous emotional regulatory functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Wang
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenyu Shangguan
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanhua Gu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Biying Hu
- School of Education, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
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16
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Liu DY, Gilbert KE, Thompson RJ. Emotion differentiation moderates the effects of rumination on depression: A longitudinal study. Emotion 2020; 20:1234-1243. [PMID: 31246044 PMCID: PMC6933110 DOI: 10.1037/emo0000627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Elevated trait rumination is associated with and predicts onset of major depressive disorder, but not all people with elevated trait rumination develop major depressive disorder. We hypothesize that certain emotional processes weaken the rumination-depression link, protecting against increases in depression. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examined one such process, emotion differentiation-the ability to discern specific emotions. Because higher negative emotion differentiation (NED) facilitates down-regulating negative emotions and the content of rumination tends to be negative, we predicted that NED, but not positive emotion differentiation (PED), would moderate the rumination-depression association, such that rumination would only predict increases in depression when negative emotions are less, not more, differentiated. Over 1 week of experience sampling, 65 community-dwelling adults (M = 38.4 years) repeatedly reported their emotions, from which we computed NED and PED. Participants completed self-report measures of rumination and depression at baseline and a measure of depression 6 months later. Regression analyses suggested that the combination of NED and PED, but not a unique contribution of either NED or PED, interacted with rumination to predict significant changes in depression, after controlling for mean emotion. Specifically, rumination predicted significant increases in depression when emotion differentiation was lower, but not higher. Findings demonstrate longitudinal benefits of emotion differentiation in adults and suggest emotion differentiation as a promising avenue for studying major depressive disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Renee J Thompson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
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Wang Y, Liao C, Shangguan C, Shang W, Zhang W. Individual differences in emotion differentiation modulate electrocortical dynamics of cognitive reappraisal. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13690. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yali Wang
- Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics Hangzhou China
| | - Caizhi Liao
- College of Education Science Chengdu University Chengdu China
| | - Chenyu Shangguan
- Department of Psychology Education College Shanghai Normal University Shanghai China
| | - Wenjing Shang
- Department of Psychology Chengde Medical College Chengde China
| | - Wenhai Zhang
- Mental Health Center Yancheng Institute of Technology Yancheng China
- The Big Data Centre for Educational Neuroscience and AI Hengyang Normal University Hengyang China
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18
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Starr LR, Hershenberg R, Shaw ZA, Li YI, Santee AC. The perils of murky emotions: Emotion differentiation moderates the prospective relationship between naturalistic stress exposure and adolescent depression. Emotion 2020; 20:927-938. [PMID: 31246045 PMCID: PMC6933107 DOI: 10.1037/emo0000630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Negative emotion differentiation (NED) refers to the ability to identify and label discrete negative emotions. Low NED has been previously linked to depression and other indices of low psychological well-being. However, this construct has rarely been explored during adolescence, a time of escalating depression risk, or examined in the context of naturalistic stressors. Further, the association between NED and depression has never been tested longitudinally. We propose a diathesis-stress model wherein low NED amplifies the association between stressful life events (SLEs) and depression. A sample of 233 community-recruited midadolescents (Mage 15.90 years, 54% female) completed diagnostic interviews and reported on mood and daily stressors 4 times per day for 7 days. SLEs were assessed using a semistructured interview with diagnosis-blind team coding based on the contextual threat method. Follow-up interviews were conducted 1.5 years after baseline. Low NED was correlated with depression but did not predict prospective changes in depression as a main effect. Confirming predictions and supporting a diathesis-stress model, low NED predicted (a) within-subjects associations between daily hassles and momentary depressed mood, (b) between-subjects associations between SLE severity and depression, and (c) prospective associations between SLE severity and increases in depression at follow-up. Results were specific to negative (vs. positive) emotion differentiation. Results suggest that low NED is primarily depressogenic in the context of high stress exposure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Starr
- Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology
| | | | - Zoey A Shaw
- Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology
| | - Y Irina Li
- Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology
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Gal V, Banerjee S, Rad DV. Identifying emotion pattern from physiological sensors through unsupervised EMDeep model. JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT & FUZZY SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3233/jifs-179686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Gal
- Centre d’Etudes et De Recherche en Informatique et Communications (CEDRIC) / Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (Cnam), Paris, France
| | - Soumya Banerjee
- Centre d’Etudes et De Recherche en Informatique et Communications (CEDRIC) / Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (Cnam), Paris, France
| | - Dana V. Rad
- Faculty of Educational Science, Psychology & Social Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Romania
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Ottenstein C. Emotion regulation effectiveness accounts for the associations of self-reported emotion differentiation with well-being and depression. Cogn Emot 2019; 34:994-1002. [PMID: 31726942 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2019.1691506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Emotion differentiation has generally been viewed as a trait that is related to emotion regulation and well-being. There are theoretical considerations that state that the beneficial effect on well-being should be mediated by emotion regulation, but this indirect effect has yet to be tested. This study investigated this proposed indirect effect by linking emotion differentiation and well-being through emotion regulation effectiveness (maintaining positive feelings and improving negative feelings) and additionally tested whether a similar indirect effect would be found for depression as an outcome. In this online study of healthy and depressed individuals (N = 457), bivariate correlations showed that self-reported emotion differentiation, emotion regulation effectiveness, and well-being were positively related to each other as hypothesised. Depression was negatively associated with self-reported emotion differentiation, emotion regulation effectiveness, and well-being. The structural equation model clearly supported the indirect effects of all outcomes. Interestingly, maintaining positive feelings seemed to be a stronger intervening variable than improving negative feelings. Implications for therapy for depression are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Ottenstein
- Center for Methodologies, Diagnostics and Evaluation, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
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Negative Emotion Differentiation through a Developmental Lens: Associations with Parental Factors and Age in Adolescence. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2019; 152. [PMID: 32863504 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2019.109597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Negative emotion differentiation (NED) is the ability to precisely discern negatively-valenced emotional states. Low NED has been linked to numerous negative outcomes. However, little is known about the conditions under which individual differences in NED emerge, particularly during adolescence, a potentially important developmental stage. We examined associations between NED (assessed using intraclass correlations between negative emotion [NE] ratings collected via intensive longitudinal methods), parental variables, and age. Adolescents (N=233, M age=15.90, 53% female) and their parents completed interview measures of depression and self-report questionnaires; adolescents then completed a seven-day ecological momentary assessment. Lower NED was associated with greater parental depression, greater authoritarian parenting style, and lower parental attachment security. Age was negatively and linearly associated with NED. Results held controlling for mean NE and adolescent depression, although authoritarian parenting was non-significant controlling for other developmental variables. Findings suggest healthy parent-child relationships may relate to adolescents' ability to perceive NEs with nuance.
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van Roekel E, Keijsers L, Chung JM. A Review of Current Ambulatory Assessment Studies in Adolescent Samples and Practical Recommendations. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2019; 29:560-577. [PMID: 31573762 PMCID: PMC6790669 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The use of ambulatory assessment (AA) and related methods (experience sampling, ecological momentary assessment) has greatly increased within the field of adolescent psychology. In this guide, we describe important practices for conducting AA studies in adolescent samples. To better understand how researchers have been implementing AA study designs, we present a review of 23 AA studies that were conducted in adolescent samples from 2017. Results suggest that there is heterogeneity in how AA studies in youth are conducted and reported. Based on these insights, we provide recommendations with regard to participant recruitment, sampling scheme, item selection, power analysis, and software choice. Further, we provide a checklist for reporting on AA studies in adolescent samples that can be used as a guideline for future studies.
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23
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Willroth EC, Flett JAM, Mauss IB. Depressive symptoms and deficits in stress-reactive negative, positive, and within-emotion-category differentiation: A daily diary study. J Pers 2019; 88:174-184. [PMID: 30927441 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present research aimed to better understand deficits in emotion differentiation that accompany depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms have been associated with more undifferentiated negative emotion experiences-experiencing multiple negative emotions simultaneously. We extend previous research by asking: (a) Are depressive symptoms and negative and positive emotion differentiation related above and beyond emotion intensity? (b) Are deficits in negative emotion differentiation specific to distinct categories of negative emotions (sadness, guilt, anger, and anxiety)? and (c) Do age or gender predict emotion differentiation or its associations with depressive symptoms? METHOD In 220 community participants (59% female; 21-60 years), we assessed depressive symptoms using surveys and emotion differentiation using daily diary emotion ratings in response to daily stressful events. RESULTS Greater depressive symptoms were associated with lower negative, but not positive, emotion differentiation, above and beyond emotion intensity. Depressive symptoms were specifically related to lower differentiation among sadness-related emotions, and this sadness-specific deficit accounted for the deficit in negative emotion differentiation. Age and gender did not predict or moderate associations with emotion differentiation. CONCLUSION Depressive symptoms are associated with undifferentiated negative emotions above and beyond emotion intensity, and this association appears to be driven by undifferentiated sadness-related emotions, across gender and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Willroth
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Jayde A M Flett
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Iris B Mauss
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
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Koole SL, Rothermund K. Revisiting the past and back to the future: Horizons of cognition and emotion research. Cogn Emot 2019; 33:1-7. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2019.1574398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sander L. Koole
- Department of Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Klaus Rothermund
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
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25
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Nook EC, Sasse SF, Lambert HK, McLaughlin KA, Somerville LH. The Nonlinear Development of Emotion Differentiation: Granular Emotional Experience Is Low in Adolescence. Psychol Sci 2018; 29:1346-1357. [PMID: 29878880 DOI: 10.1177/0956797618773357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
People differ in how specifically they separate affective experiences into different emotion types-a skill called emotion differentiation or emotional granularity. Although increased emotion differentiation has been associated with positive mental health outcomes, little is known about its development. Participants ( N = 143) between the ages of 5 and 25 years completed a laboratory measure of negative emotion differentiation in which they rated how much a series of aversive images made them feel angry, disgusted, sad, scared, and upset. Emotion-differentiation scores were computed using intraclass correlations. Emotion differentiation followed a nonlinear developmental trajectory: It fell from childhood to adolescence and rose from adolescence to adulthood. Mediation analyses suggested that an increased tendency to report feeling emotions one at a time explained elevated emotion differentiation in childhood. Importantly, two other mediators (intensity of emotional experiences and scale use) did not explain this developmental trend. Hence, low emotion differentiation in adolescence may arise because adolescents have little experience conceptualizing co-occurring emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik C Nook
- 1 Department of Psychology, Harvard University
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