Emotion suppression, not reappraisal, predicts psychotherapy outcome

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify whether trait emotion regulation strategies predict successful or unsuccessful psychotherapy outcomes in cognitive behaviour therapy. Methods: Three emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal, suppression, and externalizing behaviour) were assessed in 358 in- and outpatients. Patients were then grouped by therapy outcome. Emotion regulation strategies and confounding variables were entered as predictors in multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results: Emotion suppression, but not reappraisal, was found to predict therapy outcomes for in- and outpatients, with patients high in suppression experiencing worse outcomes. Externalizing behaviour was only relevant in inpatient treatment. Conclusions: High suppression might be detrimental to psychotherapy outcome and should be assessed early on. Further research should investigate the influence of suppression on the mechanisms that facilitate change in psychotherapy.