Emotional dysregulation in adults: The influence of rumination and negative secondary appraisals of emotion.

BACKGROUND

Emotional dysregulation is commonly discussed as a transdiagnostic factor in clinical populations. The present study aims to investigate cognitive factors (rumination and negative appraisals of emotion) in the maintenance of emotional dysregulation in a normative sample in order to partially validate a cognitive model of emotional dysregulation and to examine the potential clinical relevance of addressing cognitive factors in the treatment of emotional dysregulation.

METHODS

People who were 18 or older were asked to participate via a university research system and social media. Participants (N = 216) were asked to fill out online surveys regarding emotional dysregulation, rumination and negative secondary appraisals of emotion.

RESULTS

People who had higher emotional dysregulation levels displayed a greater tendency to ruminate and were more prone to negative secondary appraisals of emotion. There was a positive association between rumination and negative secondary appraisals of emotion, and this association was mediated by emotional dysregulation.

LIMITATIONS: The present study was solely based on self-report measurements and the collected data were cross-sectional.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed that a wide spectrum of experiences of emotional dysregulation occurred in a normative sample. The significant mediation highlighted the maintaining role of rumination and negative appraisals in emotional dysregulation. These data highlight the importance of addressing cognitive factors in emotional dysregulation.