Greater Emotion Regulation Difficulties Research Articles

Automatic detection of facial expressions during the Cyberball paradigm in Borderline Personality Disorder: a pilot study.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) symptoms include inappropriate control of anger and severe emotional dysregulation after rejection in daily life. Nevertheless, when using the Cyberball paradigm, a tossing game to simulate social exclusion, the seven basic emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, disgust, and contempt) have not been exhaustively tracked out. It was hypothesized that these patients would show anger, contempt, and disgust during the condition of exclusion versus the condition of inclusion. When facial emotions are automatically detected by Artificial Intelligence, "blending", -or a mixture of at least two emotions- and "masking", -or showing happiness while expressing negative emotions- may be most easily traced expecting higher percentages during exclusion rather than inclusion. Therefore, face videos of fourteen patients diagnosed with BPD (26 ± 6 years old), recorded while playing the tossing game, were analyzed by the FaceReader software. The comparison of conditions highlighted an interaction for anger: it increased during inclusion and decreased during exclusion. During exclusion, the masking of surprise; i.e., displaying happiness while feeling surprised, was significantly more expressed. Furthermore, disgust and contempt were inversely correlated with greater difficulties in emotion regulation and symptomatology, respectively. Therefore, the automatic detection of emotional expressions during both conditions could be useful in rendering diagnostic guidelines in clinical scenarios.

The role of emotion dysregulation in self-management behaviors among adults with type 2 diabetes.

Suboptimal disease self-management among adults with type 2 diabetes is associated with greater risk of diabetes related health complications and mortality. Emotional distress has been linked with poor diabetes self-management; however, few studies have examined the role of emotion dysregulation in diabetes management. The purpose of this study was to examine the relations between different facets of emotion dysregulation and diabetes self-management behaviors among a sample of 373 adults with type 2 diabetes. Separate median regression and binary logistic regression models were used to examine the association of emotion dysregulation facets and each diabetes self-care behavior (i.e., medication nonadherence, diet, exercise, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), foot care, and smoking). Generally, greater difficulties in emotion regulation were associated with poorer self-management behaviors. However, several facets of emotion dysregulation were linked with better self-management behaviors. Addressing emotion dysregulation among adults with type 2 diabetes has the potential to improve diabetes related self-management.

The role of self-referential and social processing in the relationship between pubertal status and difficulties in mental health and emotion regulation in adolescent girls in the UK.

Adolescence is marked by the onset of puberty, which is associated with an increase in mental health difficulties, particularly in girls. Social and self-referential processes also develop during this period: adolescents become more aware of others' perspectives, and judgements about themselves become less favourable. In the current study, data from 119 girls (from London, UK) aged 9-16 years were collected at two-time points (between 2019 and 2021) to investigate the relationship between puberty and difficulties in mental health and emotion regulation, as well as the role of self-referential and social processing in this relationship. Structural equation modelling showed that advanced pubertal status predicted greater mental health and emotion regulation difficulties, including depression and anxiety, rumination and overall difficulties in emotion regulation, and in mental health and behaviour. Advanced pubertal status also predicted greater perspective-taking abilities and negative self-schemas. Exploratory analyses showed that negative self-schemas mediated the relationships between puberty and rumination, overall emotion regulation difficulties, and depression (although these effects were small and would not survive correction for multiple comparisons). The results suggest that advanced pubertal status is associated with higher mental health and emotion regulation problems during adolescence and that negative self-schemas may play a role in this association. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This study investigates the relationship between puberty, mental health, emotion regulation difficulties, and social and self-referential processing in girls aged 9-16 years. Advanced pubertal status was associated with worse mental health and greater emotion regulation difficulties, better perspective-taking abilities and negative self-schemas. Negative self-schemas may play a role in the relationships between advanced pubertal status and depression, and advanced pubertal status and emotion regulation difficulties, including rumination.

Emotion Regulation, Coping Strategies, and Hazardous Drinking Among Family Caregivers of People With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

The current study investigated hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorders among 453 family caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). We examined the prevalence of hazardous drinking and its relationship with emotion regulation and coping strategies (problem-solving, social support, and avoidance) using data from the first wave of a longitudinal study on daily ADRD caregiving experiences. A binary logistic regression model was performed to predict the relationship between potential risk factors and hazardous drinking. Findings revealed that 18.1% of ADRD caregivers screened positive for hazardous drinking based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption. Caregivers experiencing greater difficulties in emotion regulation and greater reliance on avoidance as a coping strategy were at higher risk of screening positive for hazardous drinking. These findings stress the importance of targeted interventions to improve emotion regulation and reduce avoidance coping in ADRD caregivers, ultimately enhancing their well-being. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 17(2), 81-90.].

Emotion Dysregulation and E-Cigarette Expectancies among College Student E-Cigarette Users

Background: E-cigarette outcome expectancies (i.e., beliefs about the expected consequences of e-cigarette use) are a key factor in motivating use. Emotion regulation difficulties have demonstrated significant associations with outcome expectancies; however, there has yet to be an examination of associations between specific emotion regulation difficulties and specific e-cigarette outcome expectancies, which could serve as targets for intervention efforts. Therefore, the current study sought to examine the unique predictive ability of specific emotion regulation difficulties in terms of e-cigarette outcome expectancies. Methods: Participants were 116 college student e-cigarette users (Mage = 19.72, SD = 1.88; 71.6% female) who completed self-report questionnaires for course credit. Results: Greater difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior when experiencing negative emotions and fewer difficulties accessing effective emotion regulation strategies were associated with positive reinforcement outcome expectancies. Greater emotion regulation difficulties in general were also associated with negative reinforcement outcome expectancies, though there were no significant individual predictors. Conclusion: These results suggest that greater emotion regulation difficulties are associated with mood-related e-cigarette outcome expectancies, and targeting emotion regulation difficulties, particularly difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior when upset, may be useful to incorporate into intervention efforts.

Effect of Anti-Interleukin-6 Agents on Psychopathology in a Sample of Patients with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: An Observational Study.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitors tocilizumab and sarilumab have recently been approved for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They also affect mood, even though their effect on the post-COVID-19 syndrome-related psychopathology still has to be investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate their effect on psychopathology in a sample of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. We included 246 patients (34% female, 66% male) aged 18-75 years who had been hospitalized for COVID. Patients were split into those who received anti-IL-6 receptor agents (Anti-IL-6-R, N = 88) and those who did not (Ctrl, N = 158). The former group was further split into those receiving tocilizumab (TOC, N = 67) and those receiving sarilumab (SAR, N = 21). Groups were compared based on clinical characteristics before and during COVID-19 as well as on physical and psychiatric symptoms after COVID-19. Ctrl had less psychiatric and physical symptoms during hospitalization and more post-COVID-19 diarrhea, headache, cough, and dyspnea upon exertion than those receiving IL-6-receptor inhibitors. Ctrl also showed greater difficulties in emotion regulation. These differences were driven by TOC vs. Ctrl, whereas differences between SAR and Ctrl or TOC did not reach significance. IL-6 receptor inhibitors are related to a lower post-COVID-19 illness burden and seem to be effective in emotion regulation. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Identifying and regulating emotions after acquired brain injury: the role of interoceptive sensibility.

Interoceptive deficits are associated with difficulties in identifying and regulating emotions. However, research on interoception after acquired brain injury (ABI) is scarce, and its relationship with emotional difficulties in this population is unknown. This study aimed to (1) examine differences in self-reported alexithymia, performance-based emotional awareness, emotion regulation, depression, and interoceptive sensibility between ABI and control individuals; and (2) analyze the role of adaptive interoceptive dimensions in these emotional processes after ABI. Forty-three individuals with ABI and 42 matched control individuals completed the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness-2, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Compared to the control group, individuals with ABI showed reduced tendency to ignore unpleasant sensations increased severity of depressive symptoms, as well as tendencies to have greater difficulties in emotion regulation and lower emotional awareness. Additionally, interoceptive dimensions such as trusting, as well as not-distracting from and not-worrying about bodily sensations, played a relevant role in explaining lower alexithymia and difficulties in emotion regulation. Moreover, lower alexithymia and emotion dysregulation were related to less depressive symptoms. These relationships were invariant across ABI and control individuals. Although individuals with ABI may have different levels of emotional abilities compared to non-ABI individuals, the relationship patterns between interoceptive and emotional processes appear to be similar between the two groups. This study suggests the potential benefit of addressing both interoceptive and emotional difficulties in treatments targeting such prevalent sequelae of ABI as depressive symptoms.

Cognitive flexibility and emotion regulation: Dual layers of resilience against the emergence of paranoia

Cognitive inflexibility has been linked to difficulties in revising paranoid beliefs, whereas cognitive flexibility may protect against the development and maintenance of paranoid beliefs by allowing for troubleshooting in light of available evidence. While less discussed in the context of paranoia research, better regulation of affective states may reduce the likelihood of biased beliefs developing in the first place, reducing the burden on belief updating mechanisms. The present study hypothesized that high cognitive flexibility and strong emotion regulation ability may act as a reciprocal protective shield against the risk associated with lower ability in the other domain. Participants were recruited from the general population (N = 221) to complete the Ambiguous Interpretation Inflexibility Task, as well as self-report measures for paranoia and emotion regulation ability. The results show an interaction between cognitive flexibility and emotion regulation ability as related to less severe paranoia. Better emotion regulation ability is associated with lower paranoia in individuals with lower cognitive flexibility, whereas higher cognitive flexibility is associated with less severe paranoia in individuals with greater emotion regulation difficulties. These findings highlight the importance of emotion regulation in early interventions of paranoia, especially how emotion regulation relates to known cognitive vulnerabilities such as inflexibility.

Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Relationship Satisfaction in Adolescent Couples: The Role of Conflict Resolution Strategies.

Emotion regulation difficulties have been found to predict relationship satisfaction in adult samples, yet little is known with regards to the processes explaining these associations in adolescent dating relationships. Furthermore, among the available literature, most studies only consider one romantic partner. To address this gap, this study used a dyadic approach and considered the role of conflict resolution strategies (i.e., positive problem-solving, withdrawal, and conflict engagement) in the association between adolescents' emotion regulation and romantic relationship satisfaction. A sample of 117 heterosexual adolescent couples from Québec, Canada, was recruited (Mage = 17.68, SD = 1.57; 50% female, with 40.60% being in their first romantic relationship, and 48.29% reporting that this relationship was ongoing for more than a year). Results from APIMeM analyses indicated no direct effects between emotion regulation and relationship satisfaction. Significant indirect actor effects indicate that boys and girls with greater emotion regulation difficulties were less satisfied with their relationship via more withdrawal strategies. A partner effect emerged for girls, such that their boyfriend's regulation difficulties and greater withdrawal had a negative impact on their relationship satisfaction. This study identifies withdrawal as a key strategy in explaining the associations between emotion regulation difficulties and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, it highlights that within adolescent couples, boys' withdrawal can be particularly deleterious to relational well-being.

Childhood Trauma and PTSD Symptoms: Disentangling the Roles of Emotion Regulation and Distress Tolerance.

Research documents that a history of childhood trauma increases risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), greater emotion regulation difficulties (ERD), and reduced distress tolerance (DT). Independent lines of research implicate ERD and DT as transdiagnostic risk factors and link them to PTSD. To elucidate how such mechanisms may influence the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of PTSD, the current study investigates the distinct mediating roles of emotion regulation and DT, exploring which explains a larger indirect effect from childhood trauma to PTSD symptom severity. Participants (N = 385, aged 18-48) who endorsed a history of childhood trauma provided retrospective report of cumulative childhood trauma exposure, and of current ERD, DT, and PTSD symptom severity. Single and dual mediation analyses were used to assess indirect effects through ERD and DT in the relation between cumulative childhood trauma exposure and current PTSD symptom severity. ERD and DT were significantly and inversely related. Higher current self-ratings of PTSD symptom severity were explained by cumulative childhood trauma through ERD (B = 0.93, p < 0.001) and DT (B = 0.50, p < 0.05). The full model explained 36% of the variance in PTSD symptom severity. Current findings provide preliminary evidence of DT and emotion regulation (with specific facets identified) as distinct mechanisms in the development of PTSD. Of clinical relevance, current findings support post-trauma processing theories that contend individuals' recovery requires accepting and learning to modulate trauma-related emotional states. Implications for methods of treatment and prevention are discussed.

A longitudinal examination of alcohol use and emotion dysregulation in adolescence.

Underage drinking is a serious public health concern with magnified physical and psychological risks. Previous research suggests that emotion dysregulation is one factor linked to alcohol use. Limited research has examined emotion dysregulation and alcohol use in adolescent populations, thus the present study aimed to examine the links by assessing the role of emotion dysregulation and its subscales in adolescent alcohol use over time. Participants were 695 high school students, with 309 students having completed Time 2 data collection at a 6-month follow-up. Participants completed measures that assessed Alcohol Use, Emotion Dysregulation, and Emotion Dysregulation subscales. In a negative binomial hurdle model, adolescents with greater emotion regulation difficulties at baseline had significantly greater odds of endorsing any alcohol use at baseline. Greater emotion dysregulation did not significantly predict drinking status or drinking level 6 months later when controlling for baseline alcohol use. Adolescents who reported greater emotional clarity difficulties at baseline were more likely to report any alcohol use at baseline. Among adolescents who drink, reporting greater difficulties accessing emotion regulation strategies was associated with greater alcohol use at baseline and 6 months later. These findings indicate that emotion dysregulation is a cross-sectional marker of alcohol use in adolescents; however, results did not show emotion dysregulation to be a prospective predictor of greater alcohol use. Future research is needed to replicate findings in a more diverse sample of adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Eating when depressed, anxious, bored, or happy: An examination in treatment-seeking adults with overweight/obesity

Emotions that differ in valence are uniquely associated with eating. In our previous study with an online sample of adults with overweight/obesity, eating in response to depression was the type of emotional eating most closely associated with negative psychosocial correlates (Braden et al., 2018). The current study extended this research by examining associations between emotional eating types (eating in response to depression, anxiety, boredom, happiness) and psychological correlates among treatment-seeking adults. The present study was a secondary analysis of adults (N = 63; 96.8% female) with overweight/obesity and self-identified emotional eating who completed a baseline assessment for a behavioral weight loss intervention. Emotional eating in response to depression (EE-depression), anxiety/anger (EE-anxiety/anger), and boredom (EE-boredom) were assessed with the revised Emotional Eating Scale (EES-R), and positive emotional eating (EE-positive) was assessed with the positive emotions subscale of the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ). The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Binge Eating Scale (BES), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; depressive symptoms) were also administered. Frequencies showed the most endorsed emotional eating type was EE-depression (44.4%; n = 28). Four multiple regression analyses examined associations between emotional eating (EE-depression, EE-anxiety/anger, EE-boredom, and EE-positive) and dependent variables (EDE-Q, BES, DERS, and PHQ-9). Results showed that depression was the emotional eating type most closely related to disordered eating, binge eating, and depressive symptoms. Eating in response to anxiety was closely related to emotion regulation difficulties. Positive emotional eating was related to less depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses showed that lower levels of positive emotional eating were related to higher depressive symptoms among adults with greater emotion regulation difficulties. Researchers and clinicians may consider tailoring weight loss treatment based on unique emotions that trigger eating.

Disordered eating is related to deficits in emotional processing: A correlational study with a subclinical sample

BackgroundBoth clinical and non-clinical levels of disordered eating behaviours have been associated with deficits in emotional processing. MethodsThrough a correlational design, the present study examined the relationship between different types of disordered eating behaviours and various forms of emotional processing. N = 209 female undergraduate participants completed self-report measures of disordered eating behaviours, perceived emotion intensity, emotion regulation skills, and self-compassion. Four groups of participants were identified based on self-reported disordered eating behaviours: a healthy control group (n = 90), dieting group (n = 22), binging group (n = 59), and binging/purging group (n = 38). ResultsGreater severity of disordered eating was associated with greater emotional processing deficits including greater perceived emotion intensity, greater emotion regulation difficulties, and diminished self-compassion. Emotion regulation skills mediated the relationship between emotion intensity and disordered eating behaviours. A continuum of emotional processing deficits was observed wherein the healthy control group exhibited the fewest emotional processing deficits, and these deficits became increasingly severe among the dieting group, binging group, and binging/purging group, respectively. Each disordered eating type was associated with a specific profile of emotional processing difficulties. LimitationsThis study examined a subclinical sample of only female participants. ConclusionsFindings bear clinical importance for the prevention, treatment, and understanding of disordered eating behaviours.

Loneliness: Association with individual differences in socioemotional skills

Loneliness is defined as the discrepancy between the desired and actual quality and quantity of social relationships a person maintains. Several factors, such as socioemotional skills (emotion recognition, empathy, and emotion regulation), may play a role in the experience of loneliness. Socioemotional skills represent a complex set of abilities that enable individuals to understand, share, and regulate their own feelings and those of others. The present study aimed to investigate whether lonely individuals had greater difficulties in socioemotional skills compared to non-lonely individuals.A total of 298 participants (age range: 18–68) were recruited for this study and asked to complete a series of measures assessing loneliness, facial emotion recognition, empathy, and difficulties in emotion regulation.Results of comparisons between lonely and non-lonely participants (De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale cut-off score ≥ 3) revealed that the former had higher scores on facial expression recognition of fear, lower levels of empathy, and greater difficulties in emotion regulation compared to non-lonely individuals.Taken together the present findings indicate that lonely individuals may have greater difficulties with socioemotional skills than non-lonely individuals. Therefore, appropriate assessment of these abilities should be conducted when dealing with people who report high levels of perceived social isolation.

Difficulties in emotion regulation and ad libitum smoking topography: A secondary analysis

IntroductionDespite the well-known linkages between poor emotion regulation and subjective smoking motives, little is known about the role of emotion regulation in predicting smoking reinforcement behavior. This study examined the relation between difficulties in emotion regulation and puff velocity data, a behavioral index of smoking reinforcement, in adult daily cigarette smokers. MethodThe current study was a secondary analysis of data collected from non-treatment seeking daily smokers (N = 124). Participants completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) followed by an ad libitum smoking period during which puff topography data was collected via a handheld puffing device. Puff velocity served as our puff topography index and was examined at the average and puff-to-puff level using regression and multi-level models, respectively. ResultsRegression analyses showed no significant association between DERS scores and average puff velocity. In contrast, multi-level modeling found a significant quadratic time × DERS effect at the puff-to-puff level, such that those with greater emotion regulation difficulties inhaled more quickly at the initiation of the cigarette, whereas those with lower emotion regulation difficulties evidenced consistent puffing over the course of the cigarette. DiscussionSmokers with greater difficulties in emotion regulation appear to smoke in a way that maximizes delivery of nicotine, perhaps to self-regulate distress. One’s style of puffing may reflect a possible behavioral marker of negative reinforcement smoking, especially in the context of emotional distress. ImplicationsThis study was the first to explore the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and a behavioral measure of smoking reinforcement.

Longitudinal Relationship between Children’s Emotion Dysregulation and Parent’s Negative Experience of the COVID-19 Lockdown in France

"Introduction: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lockdown was implemented in France, leading to profound changes in families’ life. Studies showed emotional and behavioral difficulties in children and adults during this period. However, few research has focused on the longitudinal interactions between children’s emotion regulation and parental emotional experience of the lockdown. Aim: This study aimed to examine the longitudinal bidirectional relationships between children’s emotion regulation and parental emotional experience of the lockdown. Method: One hundred and twenty parents of children aged 5 to 12 answered two online questionnaires, at the start of the first lockdown (Time 1), and one month later (Time 2). Emotional dysregulation in children and parental emotional experience of the lockdown were assessed. Results: The results of the autoregressive cross-lagged analyses revealed that children’s emotion regulation at Time 1 predicted lockdown-related parental emotional experience at Time 2, whereas lockdown-related parental emotional experience at Time 1 didn’t predict children’s emotion regulation at Time 2. Conclusion: This study suggested that parents of children with greater emotion regulation difficulties have had a worse emotional experience of the lockdown, without affecting the emotional regulation of children. Clinical implications and protective factors are discussed."

Emotion regulation in substance use disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The ability to regulate emotions effectively has been associated with resilience to psychopathology. Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have been shown to have higher levels of negative emotionality, with some evidence suggesting impairment in emotion regulation compared with individuals without SUDs. However, no previous attempt has been made to systematically review the literature to assess the magnitude of this difference. We aimed to assess the association between SUD diagnosis and emotion regulation as measured by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) through a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing findings. The systematic review was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO and Embase. We examined cross-sectional studies that compared a SUD group with a control group and measured emotion regulation using the DERS or the ERQ. The primary analysis focused on papers using the DERS, as this was the predominant instrument in the literature. Twenty-two studies met our primary analysis criteria, representing 1936 individuals with a SUD and 1567 controls. Individuals with SUDs relative to controls had significantly greater DERS scores, with a mean difference of 21.44 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 16.49-26.40, P < 0.001] and Hedges' g =1.05 (95% CI = 0.86-1.24, P < 0.001). The difference was robust, remaining significant after removing outliers and studies with high risk of bias. Individuals with SUDs demonstrated poorer emotion regulation on each subscale of the DERS, with the largest deficits in the Strategies and Impulse subscales. The ERQ analysis revealed greater use of expressive suppression in those with SUDs relative to controls (Hedges' g = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.25-1.28, P = 0.004). People with substance use disorders appear to have greater difficulties in emotion regulation than people without substance use disorders.

The prospective relation between borderline personality disorder symptoms and suicide risk: The mediating roles of emotion regulation difficulties and perceived burdensomeness

BackgroundDespite the strong link between borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms and suicide risk, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. Theory-driven research clarifying the pathways through which BPD symptoms increase suicide risk over time is needed and may highlight relevant treatment targets for decreasing suicide risk among individuals with heightened BPD symptoms. This study examined the prospective relations among BPD symptoms, emotion regulation (ER) difficulties, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicide risk across five assessments over a 7-month period. Consistent with the interpersonal theory of suicide, we hypothesized that greater BPD symptoms would predict greater suicide risk over time via greater ER difficulties and, subsequently, greater perceived burdensomeness. MethodsA U.S. nationwide sample of 500 adults (47 % women; mean age = 40.0 ± 11.64) completed a prospective online study, including an initial assessment and four follow-up assessments over the next seven months. ResultsResults revealed a significant indirect relation between BPD symptoms and greater suicide risk over time through greater ER difficulties and later perceived burdensomeness. Results also provided evidence for transactional relations between BPD symptoms and ER difficulties and suicide risk over time. LimitationsAll constructs were assessed via self-report questionnaire data. Our measure of suicide risk focuses on only suicidal ideation, plans, and impulses, and not suicide attempts or preparatory behaviors. ConclusionsResults highlight both ER- and interpersonal-related factors as key mechanisms underlying suicide risk among community adults with BPD symptoms.

Emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic factor in eating disorders and gambling disorder: Treatment outcome implications.

BackgroundA first approach addressed to ascertain whether emotion regulation (ER) could be a transdiagnostic construct between eating disorders (EDs) and gambling disorder (GD) (through a joint clinical clustering analysis of both disorders) was performed by Munguía et al. (2021). Both conditions were represented by a severe, moderate, and low ER profile subgroups, according to the degree of ER difficulties. Results showed a linear relationship between the severity of ER difficulties and the severity of the disorder and the psychopathological state.AimsBased on the aforementioned cross-sectional study, the objective of this longitudinal research was to explore the treatment response of the different ER subgroups.Methods459 adult patients (n = 277 ED; n = 182 GD) were included. Several clinical variables, as well as outcome indicators (after completing 16 weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy), were evaluated.ResultsThe three subgroups found in the previous cross-sectional study were taken for the performance of the present research. ED and GD distribution in each subgroup replicates the one exposed by Munguía et al. (2021), as well as their characterization, considering psychopathology, disorder severity and personality traits. The low ER subgroup reported a better response to treatment, whereas the severe group had the highest rates of non-remission and dropouts.ConclusionsOur results suggest that greater difficulties in ER lead to poorer treatment outcomes. Therefore, tailored treatments for patients with poor ER abilities would be recommended to improve adherence and treatment outcomes.

Pathological gamblers profiles according to impulsivity and emotional regulation

This study aims to examine relationship between age, gambling behaviour, dysfunctional psychological symptoms, and other comorbid addictive behaviours. Secondly, it aims to study the differences between the aforementioned variables according to gambler profiles based on impulsivity and emotional regulation. A sample of 95 participants conformed the clinical sample (93.5% men and 6.5% women). Results suggest that difficulties in emotion regulation and impulsivity are associated with gambling disorder, video game abuse, and dysfunctional psychological symptomatology. Likewise, two clusters have been observed, the first one is composed of participants with fewer difficulties in emotion regulation, less psychopathological severity, and greater impulsivity. The second cluster is composed of participants with greater difficulties in emotion regulation, as well as greater psychopathological and gambling severity. These results highlight the relevance of understanding different gambler profiles in order to design prevention and treatment strategies adapted to each person.