Loneliness and shyness from the perspective of emotion regulation

Abstract

Research aim: Loneliness and shyness are two of our increasing psychological problems today. It is considered important to understand how emotion regulation dimensions affect these two problem areas, as one of the main factors underlying our psychological problems. In this study, it was aimed to determine how both intra and interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and difficulties in emotion regulation predict loneliness and shyness. Method: For this aim, it was carried out with the participation of 462 people (58.4% women and 41.6% men; Rage:18-69; Mage: 28.08) from two different countries, Turkey (51.5%) and Pakistan (48.5%). It is quantitative research and descriptive and relational analyzes were made. Findings: When the findings were examined, it was found that difficulties in emotion regulation predicted both loneliness and shyness. In terms of emotion regulation strategies, while ‘expressive suppression’ and ‘social modelling’ predicts loneliness; ‘expressive suppression’ and ‘enhancing positive affect’ seem to predict shyness. It was found that other emotion regulation strategies did not predict statistically significantly. In addition, the findings obtained according to the relevant demographic variables (according to gender, country, being in a romantic relationship, having a child/children) and emotion regulation strategies were discussed in the context of the relevant literature. Conclusions: As a result of the study, it was seen that there are emotion regulation types and strategies associated with loneliness and shyness.