Which Emotion Regulation Strategies are Most Associated with Trait Emotion Dysregulation? A Transdiagnostic Examination

Abstract

Although definitions of emotion dysregulation infer difficulties in selecting and implementing emotion regulation (ER) strategies, surprisingly few studies have examined the relationship between trait emotion dysregulation and a wide range of specific ER strategies. The present study used a data-driven approach to assess trait- and state-related ER strategy use in 99 women (aged 18–55) recruited from the community with varying levels of trait emotion dysregulation. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing habitual ER strategy implementation and self-ratings of ER strategy use in vivo during negative mood inductions. Principal components analysis revealed four self-report questionnaire-based and three mood-induction-based groupings comprising both optimal and suboptimal strategies. After adjusting for demographic and clinical variables, results from self-report questionnaires indicated that trait emotion dysregulation was significantly associated with higher endorsements of suboptimal strategies in two groupings (e.g., self-criticism, rumination, and social withdrawal; catastrophizing and blaming others) and lower endorsements of optimal ER strategies in one grouping (e.g., cognitive reappraisal and problem solving). In the context of mood induction, trait emotion dysregulation was significantly associated with higher endorsements of suboptimal ER strategies from one cluster only (e.g., expressive suppression, thought avoidance, and self-criticism). Such transdiagnostic, data-driven approaches can uncover how the application of specific ER strategies both habitually and during negative mood states is associated with trait emotion dysregulation.