Intensity, frequency, and differentiation of discrete emotion categories in daily life and their associations with depression, worry, and rumination.

Abstract

Previous research examining links between psychopathology and emotions in daily life have largely focused on disorder-specific patterns of mean-level positive and negative affect. In this study, we examined three transdiagnostic dimensions of psychopathology, namely depression, worry, and rumination, and their association with the intensity, frequency, and differentiation of discrete emotion categories endorsed in daily life. Three independent samples of young adults (total n = 614) completed baseline measures assessing depression, worry, and rumination followed by a 1-week daily diary procedure. Daily diaries assessed the following emotion categories: "tranquility," "contentment," "happiness," "excitement," "pride," "sadness," "boredom," "guilt," "fear," and "anger." Intensity, frequency, and differentiation were all calculated from daily emotion ratings. Psychopathology was associated with intensity and frequency of pleasant emotion, with intensity showing stronger associations. Intensity of contentment and happiness were most strongly associated with all three forms of psychopathology, whereas pride had the weakest associations. Psychopathology was associated with intensity and frequency of unpleasant emotions, with frequency tending to show stronger associations. Frequency of sadness and boredom were most strongly associated with depression, whereas the frequency and intensity of fear were similarly associated with depression and worry. Although psychopathology was associated with pleasant and unpleasant emotion differentiation, to our surprise, effect sizes were negligible to small. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).