Acceptance Of Negative Emotions Research Articles

Self-compassion, Job-related Wellbeing, Perceived Stress, Happiness and Depression, and Anxiety Symptoms in 6 Cases of Senior Managers of Human Resources or Organizational Development

Introduction: Recent studies suggest that compassion, particularly self-compassion, is often perceived as contrary to effective leadership and organizational success, that self-compassion, which impacts emotion regulation through the acceptance of negative emotions, may be an adaptive strategy for managing stress and benefit for resilience at work, and that self-compassion is associated with happiness and inversely related to anxiety and depression. This can be taken together with the importance of job-related affective well-being, where low LPLA (Low Pleasurable Low Arousal emotions) and high LPHA (Low Pleasurable High Arousal emotions) can correlate to depression, anxiety, and stress. The following self-report questionnaires were used: the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS-SF), the Job-Related Affective Well-Being scale (JAWS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS 10), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-10). The aims of this case series are to assess these components in six senior managers of human resources or organizational development, to understand their interconnections, and to compare the results with previous studies. Results and discussion: The six cases’ configurations of scores (age 46-67, 4 female, 2 male) for self-compassion, job-related wellbeing, perceived stress, happiness, depression/anxiety symptoms, vary widely. Five out of six cases in this case study have higher levels of perceived stress than the norms established by previous research. The youngest among the cases is case 5 and exhibits the highest stress levels, the highest depression/anxiety levels, and a high self-compassion level simultaneously. One case has severe depression/anxiety levels, and two cases have moderate levels of depression/anxiety. Four out of six cases have high levels of self-compassion. All six cases exhibit strong negative emotional reactions to their job and level of overall job-related affective well-being is low. The six cases in this study show the same trends outlined in the previous research: (1) self-compassion is associated with happiness and (2) self-compassion is inversely related to anxiety and depression, (3) anxiety and depression are inversely related to happiness,(4) perceived stress is negatively correlated with self-compassion (in turn that self-compassion could protect against stress, and (5) low LPLA and high LPHA levels corelate to depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusion: Timely awareness among managers of their levels of self-compassion, job-related well-being, perceived stress, and symptoms of depression and anxiety can be valuable in preventing the escalation of stress and the deterioration of mental health. By recognizing and addressing these factors early, managers may mitigate negative emotional outcomes, thereby fostering a healthier work environment and improving overall job satisfaction and performance.

WISDOM-RELATED EMOTION REGULATION RESOURCES EXPLAIN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS’ COVID-19-RELATED DISTRESS

Abstract As the pandemic wrought wide-reaching disruption across the world, younger adults appeared to be faring more poorly than other adults. We hypothesized that younger adults might possess fewer emotion regulation resources and skills, accounting for their relatively high levels of distress. In data gathered from a national sample of 1258 adults, we examined how baseline resources (in mid-April, during initial peak infections) predicted distress (depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms) five weeks later, when states began initial re-openings. Younger adults (18-35 years; n = 317; mean age = 29.2 years) reported greater distress and less social support, mindfulness, and emotion regulation skills than did middle aged (36-60 years; n = 513; mean age =51.7 years) and older adults (61-88 years; n =428; mean age = 70.1 years). Controlling for stress exposure, younger adults’ distress was predicted by impulsivity and lack of perceived strategies while middle-aged and older adults’ (lower) distress was predicted by acceptance of negative emotions and emotion regulation abilities; perceived social support was related to lower distress for all groups but mindfulness was unrelated. Results suggest that emotion regulation resources and skills are a promising prevention and intervention focus.

EXAMINING RELATIONS BETWEEN OLDER ADULTS’ HEALTH, WISDOM, AND WELL-BEING DURING TIMES OF HARDSHIP

Abstract This symposium investigates the roles of health and wisdom characteristics as older adults’ resources during difficult times and whether ill health might explain lower wisdom during the later years of life. The first two presentations explored COVID-related changes in mental health. Utilizing a national sample of 1258 adults, Park found that acceptance of negative emotions, emotion regulation, and perceived social support at the beginning of the COVID pandemic (mid-April of 2020) predicted middle-aged (36-60 years, Mage=52) and older adults’ (61-88 years, Mage=70) lower distress five weeks later. Feng and colleagues analyzed well-being changes in 69 older adults (50-77 years, Mage=59) from before COVID (Time1) to the summer of 2020 (Time2) and 18 months later (Time3). Multiple logistic regressions revealed that greater wisdom and better health at Time2 and higher self-transcendence and better health at Time3 increased the likelihood of being well-adapted across time. Cogdill-Richardson and Bluck examined grief adaptation among 54 older widowed adults (Mage=81). Regression analyses showed that greater wisdom and better physical functioning predicted better grief-related mental health. Whereas good health and wisdom are consistent predictors of well-being in old age, ill health itself is a stressor. Analyzing data of 976 older adults (51-99 years, Mage = 77), Ardelt and Jeste found that the negative association between age and wisdom might be due to ill health that reduces older adults’ sense of mastery, which might lessen their motivation for wisdom development. Overall, this symposium demonstrates how health, wisdom, and well-being are interrelated, particularly during times of hardship.

Emotion Regulation Resources Explain Middle-Aged and Older Adults' COVID-19-Related Distress

As the pandemic caused widespread disruption across the world, studies suggested younger adults were faring more poorly than other adults. We hypothesized that younger adults might possess fewer emotion regulation resources and skills, accounting for their greater distress. In a national sample of 1528 adults, we examined how baseline resources (in mid-April, during initial peak infections) predicted distress (depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms) five weeks later, when states began initial reopenings. Younger adults reported greater distress and less social support, mindfulness, and emotion regulation skills than did middle aged and older adults.. Controlling for stress exposure, younger adults’ distress was predicted by impulsivity and lack of perceived strategies while middle-aged and older adults’ distress was predicted by acceptance of negative emotions; perceived social support was related to lower distress for both groups but mindfulness was unrelated. Results suggest that emotion regulation skills are a promising prevention and intervention focus.

Vulnerability and Resilience Among Older Adults During the COVID Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is particularly challenging for many older adults. They are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing and sheltering in place to decrease morbidity and mortality risks. However, social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of mental and physical health problems. Nonetheless, there are indications that older adults may be more resilient than originally thought. Park et al. present longitudinal findings that younger adults fared worse than middle-aged or older ones, reporting greater distress and less social support, mindfulness, and emotion regulation skills. For older participants, acceptance of negative emotions and social support predicted lower distress. Choun et al. also present longitudinal data, showing that depressive symptoms decreased among older adults during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, but reflected changes in loneliness and physical health symptoms. Stellman et al. found that moderate levels of combat experience were helpful for some older Vietnam veterans coping with the pandemic, although a few found that it made coping more difficult. Turner et al. found that positive, non-familial intergenerational contacts were associated with a higher number of positive pandemic-related changes, such as finding new hobbies and meaning in work. Finally, Aldwin et al. present a social ecological approach to vulnerability and resilience. Using qualitative data, they found that stressors and resources were reported at personal, interpersonal and societal levels. Further, older adults both took comfort from and contributed to community resources during this pandemic. In summary, this symposium identified factors that contribute to older adults’ resilience during this pandemic.

Examining a brief self-compassion intervention for emotion regulation in individuals with exposure to trauma.

Research suggests that the overuse of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, such as avoidance, represents a vulnerability following trauma exposure. Conversely, self-compassion, which impacts emotion regulation through the acceptance of negative emotions, may be an adaptive strategy for managing posttraumatic stress (PTS). An experimental design was used to examine whether a single-session of self-compassion training improved self-compassion and decreased difficulties in emotion regulation, compared to muscle relaxation training, for trauma-exposed undergraduates. Findings replicated previous research among these three constructs (PTS, self-compassion, and difficulties with emotion regulation), with relationships found in the expected directions. However, there was not conclusive evidence to suggest that participating in a brief self-compassion intervention was more effective for reducing difficulties with emotion regulation than participating in a muscle relaxation training intervention. Results supported inverse associations between self-compassion and posttraumatic stress, as well as self-compassion and difficulties with emotion regulation. Future research is needed to investigate how self-compassion skills training can be best utilized to produce clinically significant and long-lasting changes in emotion regulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

A pilot evaluation of the Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) curriculum in face‐to‐face and online formats

The Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) parenting program is designed to promote parent-child relationships and more optimal social-emotional development by addressing four sequentially built skills in parenting infants/toddlers: (1) building parental awareness of emotions in self and child; (2) listening and interacting sensitively; (3) identifying and labeling emotions; and (4) intentionally supporting early self-regulation skills. BEES used an 8-session format delivered in online or face-to-face platforms (N = 264 female caregivers; n = 214 online, n = 50 face-to-face). Linear mixed modeling for pre-to-post changes showed significant increases in knowledge, emotion coaching beliefs, acceptance of negative emotions, and self-reported emotionally supportive responses to emotions; and, significant decreases in rejection of emotions, emotionally unsupportive responses, and parenting distress. Results suggested no differences in rate of change by program delivery type. Caregivers with more depressive symptoms showed greater improvement in their parenting distress. The BEES program may be a tool to support early positive parenting.

"My child will actually say 'I am upset' … Before all they would do was scream": Teaching parents emotion validation in a social care setting.

Emotion validation by parents has positive outcomes for children's emotional development, particularly in vulnerable families, but there is a lack of research on supporting health workers to teach emotion validation to parents whose children are open to early help and children's social services. There is also a theoretical debate about how best to conceptualize emotion validation and why it is beneficial to children. The purpose of the study was to test the feasibility of teaching emotion validation skills to parents and family workers in a social care setting and to examine the effects of such teaching on children's emotion awareness and emotion regulation. This small scale qualitative feasibility study involved 11 parents (with children aged 2-5 years) who were receiving early help social services and five family workers. All parents took part in a 4-week course teaching emotionally validating parenting: either in a group class (six parents) or one-one delivery at home via a family worker (five parents). Effects on parents, children, and family workers were assessed using semi-structured interviews. Six themes were identified in qualitative analysis: (1) parent became more validating, (2) parent's own vulnerability affected their ability to use the skills, (3) child became more aware of emotions, (4) child became calmer and more accepting of negative emotions, (5) child transferred emotion validation to others, and (6) family workers incorporated emotion validation techniques into their professional practice. Results demonstrated the feasibility of teaching emotional validation skills to parents via both delivery methods, with positive outcomes reported for parents and children and positive impact reported on family worker practice. Qualitative analysis suggested that parental acceptance of child's negative emotions may be linked with greater self-awareness of negative emotions in the child.

Mindfulness and Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: the Underlying Roles of Awareness, Acceptance, Impulse Control, and Emotion Regulation

The present prospective study tested the mediating processes between mindfulness and symptoms of depression and anxiety among Chinese emerging adults in Hong Kong. A total of 333 emerging adults between 18 and 26 years of age (male = 95; female = 238) completed a questionnaire for four times in two consecutive years, with each time point spanning 6 months apart. Findings based on multi-group path analysis and bootstrapping indicated that the longitudinal association between mindfulness and depressive symptoms was mediated by regulatory processes including awareness and acceptance of negative emotions, impulse control difficulties, and emotion regulation, regardless of gender. A marginal trend was also indicated for the mediation processes between mindfulness and anxiety symptoms. The present findings underscore the importance of mindfulness in mental health through a chain of longitudinal mediating mechanisms. In addition to enriching the mindfulness literature in diverse ecological contexts, evidence was advanced to inform prevention and intervention efforts in promoting mindfulness as an asset associated with mental health.

Perception and Attitudes toward Suicide: Acceptance of Negative Emotions and Suicide Literacy

Perception and Attitudes toward Suicide: Acceptance of Negative Emotions and Suicide Literacy

Effect of guided, structured, writing program on self-harm ideations and emotion regulation.

This study investigated the efficacy of structured writing on reducing self-harm ideations and enhancing emotion regulation. Japanese university students (N=22) participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to the structured writing group (n=10; 70% female), or an assessment only control group (n=12; 67% female). For three consecutive days, participants in the intervention group performed structured writing that included psycho-education and self-reflection about emotions. The Self-Harm Ideation Scale, the Generalized Expectancy for Negative Mood Regulation Scale, and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II were used to assess outcomes. Structured writing had a short-term effect on expectancies for self-regulation of negative moods and acceptance of negative emotions, but had a limited effect on self-harm ideations. This study presents preliminary evidence that increasing awareness, learning, and reflection about emotions resulting from using a structured writing program is particularly useful for regulating emotions. J. Med. Invest. 64: 74-78, February, 2017.

From Failure to Flourishing: The Roles of Acceptance and Goal Reengagement

Two studies were conducted to examine the relationship between a proposed adaptive response to failure and subsequent flourishing. The cognitive/emotional level of the proposed adaptive response to failure, acceptance of negative emotions, is characterized by allowing negative emotions to surface without trying to control them. The behavioral level of response, goal reengagement, is characterized by reengaging with new, intrinsically meaningful goals. Study 1 (N = 50) was based on a community sample (age range 32–90 years) and consisted of semi-structured interviews coded for participants’ response to the biggest job-related failure ever experienced and current psychological flourishing. Study 2 (N = 101), an online study based on a different community sample (age range 18–73 years), further tested the proposed adaptive response to failure by using questionnaires to assess participants’ response to the biggest job-related failure ever experienced and current flourishing. Findings across both studies indicated that responding to failure by accepting negative emotions and reengaging with new, intrinsically meaningful goals was associated with greater subsequent flourishing, including more happiness and fewer depressive symptoms.

Impact of dialectical behavior therapy versus community treatment by experts on emotional experience, expression, and acceptance in borderline personality disorder

Evidence suggests that heightened negative affectivity is a prominent feature of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) that often leads to maladaptive behaviors. Nevertheless, there is little research examining treatment effects on the experience and expression of specific negative emotions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment for BPD, hypothesized to reduce negative affectivity (Linehan, 1993a). The present study analyzes secondary data from a randomized controlled trial with the aim to assess the unique effectiveness of DBT when compared to Community Treatment by Experts (CTBE) in changing the experience, expression, and acceptance of negative emotions. Suicidal and/or self-injuring women with BPD (n = 101) were randomly assigned to DBT or CTBE for one year of treatment and one year of follow-up. Several indices of emotional experience and expression were assessed. Results indicate that DBT decreased experiential avoidance and expressed anger significantly more than CTBE. No differences between DBT and CTBE were found in improving guilt, shame, anxiety, or anger suppression, trait, and control. These results suggest that DBT has unique effects on improving the expression of anger and experiential avoidance, whereas changes in the experience of specific negative emotions may be accounted for by general factors associated with expert therapy. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Difficulties in emotion regulation and personal distress in young adults with social anxiety

The aim of this study was to assess the association between social anxiety and difficulties in emotion regulation in a sample of Italian young adults. Our convenience sample was composed of 298 Italian young adults (184 women and 114 men) aged 18-34 years. Participants were administered the Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), the Audience Anxiousness Scale (AAS), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). A Two Step cluster analysis was used to group subjects according to their level of social anxiety. The cluster analysis indicated a two-cluster solution. The first cluster included 163 young adults with higher scores on the AAS and the IAS than those included in cluster 2 (n=135). A generalized linear model with groups as dependent variable indicated that people with higher social anxiety (compared to those with lower social anxiety) have higher scores on the dimension personal distress of the IRI (p<0.01), and on the DERS non acceptance of negative emotions (p<0.001) and lack of emotional clarity (p<0.05). The results are consistent with models of psychopathology, which hypothesize that people who cannot deal effectively with their emotions may develop depressive and anxious disorders.

Evaluating a bereavement support group

To assess the feasibility of an 8-week bereavement support group in a general hospital setting. We assessed grief and mood before and after an 8-week bereavement support group and compared dropouts to completers. Forty-seven participants filled out mood and grief questionnaires. Scores were compared with norms, then baseline and follow-up scores were analyzed by paired t tests. Fifteen dropouts' scores were compared with completers' baseline scores. Participants' grief improved, as did depression in women but not men. Women dropouts scored significantly higher on Anger, Tension/Anxiety. Findings suggest men and women respond differently to bereavement groups. Bereaved individuals with high anger and tension may require interventions addressing their particular needs, with a focus on acceptance of negative emotions.