Emotion Socialization and Young Adult Internalizing Symptoms: the Roles of Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation

Abstract

Caregivers play a crucial role in the socialization of youth emotional understanding and regulation, which are implicated in socio-emotional outcomes. Although a rich literature details the sequelae of parent emotion socialization (ES) strategies, there is less understanding of variables that may explain associations between ES strategies and youth psychopathology. The current study aimed to test potential explanatory variables–mindfulness and emotion regulation strategies. SEM was utilized to test direct and indirect effects of young adult recalled parent ES, mindfulness, and emotion suppression and cognitive reappraisal on internalizing symptoms in a sample (N = 256) of 18 to 33 year olds (Mage = 19.85, SDage = 2.31). Higher levels of supportive ES were positively related to young adult mindfulness (β = 0.334, SE = 0.102, p < .05, for mothers; β = 0.366, SE = 0.097, p < .01, for fathers). In turn, mindfulness was related to higher levels of cognitive reappraisal (β = 0.250, SE = 0.114, p < .01), lower levels of emotion suppression (β = − 0.433, SE = 0.138, p < .001), and lower levels of internalizing symptoms (β = − 0.793, SE = 0.897, p < .001). Several indirect effects were also significant. Results provided support for the indirect influence of parents’ supportive ES on offspring internalizing symptoms through young adult mindfulness and cognitive reappraisal. Parenting interventions designed to create healthy family contexts may wish to incorporate a focus on supportive ES responses, given associations with offspring mindfulness, adaptive emotion regulation strategies, and lower internalizing symptoms.