Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Research Articles

I wanna hold your hand: Handholding is preferred over gentle stroking for emotion regulation.

Social touch is an important form of interpersonal emotion regulation. In recent years, the emotion regulation effects of two types of touch have been studied extensively: handholding and stroking (specifically of skin with C-tactile afferents on the forearm, i.e. C-touch). While some studies compare their effectiveness, with mixed results, no study to date has examined which type of touch is subjectively preferred. Given the potential bidirectional communication provided by handholding, we hypothesized that to regulate intense emotions, participants would prefer handholding. In four pre-registered online studies (total N = 287), participants rated handholding and stroking, presented in short videos, as emotion regulation methods. Study 1 examined touch reception preference in hypothetical situations. Study 2 replicated Study 1 while also examining touch provision preferences. Study 3 examined touch reception preferences of participants with blood/injection phobia in hypothetical injection situations. Study 4 examined types of touch participants who have recently given birth recalled receiving during childbirth and their hypothetical preferences. In all studies, participants preferred handholding over stroking; participants who have recently given birth reported receiving handholding more than stroking. This was especially evident in Studies 1-3 in emotionally intense situations. These results demonstrate that handholding is preferred over stroking as a form of emotion regulation, especially in intense situations, and support the importance of two-way sensory communication for emotion regulation via touch. We discuss the results and possible additional mechanisms, including top-down processing and cultural priming.

“Sailing Together in the Storm”: Chinese EFL Teachers’ Trajectory of Interpersonal Emotion Regulation towards Well-Being

Teaching is an emotion-laden process during which teachers are inevitably confronted with emotional disturbance. This study examines how Chinese EFL teachers transform emotional disturbance into well-being through interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Previous research has examined teacher emotion regulation at an individual level, yet the interpersonal perspective has not been sufficiently adopted. In order to have an in-depth investigation of teachers’ IER, three Chinese EFL teachers were selected; qualitative data were collected from narrative reflections, interviews, class observation, and field notes. The findings reveal that (1) EFL teachers’ trajectory of IER moves from deconstruction of emotional blocks in companionship and re-construction of emotional strength through trust to co-construction of emotional pedagogy with dialogues; (2) Intrinsic IER of teachers’ own emotion and extrinsic IER of students’ emotion were not separate but dynamically interacted; (3) Effective IER entails the interplay between teachers’ readiness for reflective inquiry and learning peers’ capacity for emotional support; (4) Teachers’ IER is interwoven with ethical development. The study also suggests that effective teacher IER contributes to their professional learning in terms of triggering the revisitation of teaching conceptions and educational beliefs to better serve students’ learning. This study sheds light on the construction of a social support system for the sustainability of teachers’ emotional well-being as well as their professional development.

Shame on me for needing you: A multistudy examination of links between receiving interpersonal emotion regulation and experiencing shame.

Recent theory and research have drawn attention to interpersonal dimensions of emotion regulation. Yet, few empirical investigations of the outcomes of interpersonal emotion regulation have been conducted. We propose that one negative affective outcome of received interpersonal emotion regulation of conceptual and practical interest is shame. In the present series of studies, participants from six disparate samples reported on experiences of receiving interpersonal emotion regulation using autobiographical recall and ecological sampling paradigms (total analyzed n = 1,868; total analyzed k = 2,515 instances of receiving interpersonal emotion regulation). We sought to quantify the frequency and distinctiveness of shame as an outcome of receiving interpersonal emotion regulation. We used an exploratory-confirmatory approach to identify robust and generalizable correlates of shame. We considered individual (e.g., trait external shame-proneness), situational (e.g., desire for regulation), relational (e.g., perceived closeness with the provider), and interaction-specific (e.g., perceptions of provider hostility) variables. Our results indicate that it is not uncommon for people to experience receiving interpersonal emotion regulation as shame-inducing, and these perceptions are distinct from their evaluations of the overall helpfulness of the interaction. An internal mini meta-analysis showed that the strongest correlates of shame across studies and samples were individual differences in nonacceptance of negative emotions and expressive suppression and interaction-specific ratings of provider responsiveness and hostility. We discuss the conceptual, methodological, and practical implications of these findings for studying interpersonal emotion regulation and shame. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Physiological coregulation during social support discussions.

Close relationships are proposed to function as dynamic regulatory systems, whereby partners jointly regulate each other's emotions and physiology to maintain an equilibrium level of responding--a process known as coregulation. Little is known, however, regarding when coregulation emerges. We hypothesized that because social support interactions involve explicit interpersonal emotion regulation attempts, they might be especially likely to engender stabilizing patterns of coregulation that entrain partners' responses toward an equilibrium level. We conducted a dyadic laboratory experiment in which romantic couples engaged in social support and control discussions as cardiovascular responses were measured. To assess dyadic coregulation, we used dynamical systems modeling with Bayesian estimation to capture the frequency of oscillations around an equilibrium level and changes in amplitudes over time. Results indicated there was coregulation across discussions as a whole, as well as differences in coregulation by discussion type and gender. Stabilizing coregulatory dynamics-indicated by patterns of oscillations around an equilibrium level and decreases in amplitudes as the discussions progressed-were more pronounced during social support (vs. control) discussions, especially when the male partner received support. There was also substantial between-dyad heterogeneity in couples' coregulation trajectories, whereby some couples showed pronounced coregulatory dynamics whereas other did not. Overall, this work suggests that social support interactions may be a key context when coregulation emerges and thereby offers novel insights into how relationships might contribute to well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The central role of symptom severity and associated characteristics for functional impairment in misophonia.

Misophonia is characterized by a preoccupation with and strong emotional and behavioral reactions to certain triggers, mostly sounds related to eating and breathing. We applied functional impairment due to misophonic symptoms as a central criterion to investigate differences between clinical misophonia and normative decreased sound tolerance in a large non-random sample of n = 1,881 individuals from an online survey. We assessed the frequency of self-reported misophonia symptoms across various symptom measures, compared severity, triggers and emotional reactions, general psychopathology, interpersonal emotion regulation, and quality of life between both groups with and without functional impairing misophonia. Individuals with functional impairment due to misophonia (n = 839) revealed significantly higher general psychopathology symptoms, lower interpersonal emotion regulation skills, and lower quality of life than individuals without impairment (n = 1,042). Anxious/distressed and annoyed reactions to triggers were experienced more frequently compared to emotional reactions of disgust and sadness or depression in both groups. Overall, the group differences were primarily quantitative in nature. We discuss practical implications regarding classification and treatment and provide cutoffs for each symptom measure derived from group assignment for functional impairment.

Affective or cognitive interpersonal emotion regulation in couples: an fNIRS hyperscanning study.

Sadness regulation is crucial for maintaining the romantic relationships of couples. Interpersonal emotion regulation, including affective engagement (AE) and cognitive engagement (CE), activates social brain networks. However, it is unclear how AE and CE regulate sadness in couples through affective bonds. We recruited 30 heterosexual couple dyads and 30 heterosexual stranger dyads and collected functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning data while each dyad watched sad or neutral videos and while the regulator regulated the target's sadness. Then, we characterized interbrain synchronization (IBS) and Granger causality (GC). The results indicated that AE and CE were more effective for couples than for strangers and that sadness evaluation of female targets was lower than that of male targets. CE-induced IBS at CH13 (BA10, right middle frontal gyrus) was lower for female targets than for male targets, while no gender difference in AE was detected. GC change at CH13 during CE was lower in the sad condition for male targets than for female targets, while no gender difference in AE was discovered. These observations suggest that AE and CE activate affective bonds but that CE was more effective for regulating sadness in female targets, revealing different neural patterns of cognitive and affective sadness regulation in couples.

Interpersonal emotion regulation in the context of social networks: A focus on borderline personality disorder.

Interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) involves modulating one's emotions through social contact. Considering the extensive emotional and interpersonal difficulties associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD), it is particularly relevant to the study of IER. We examined the frequency and efficacy of IER in relation to BPD features, as well as perceived characteristics of the social network partners utilized for IER, among 149 participants. We found that BPD features were unrelated to the frequency of using IER but negatively related to the perceived efficacy of IER and perceived willingness of partners to assist in IER. Furthermore, BPD features attenuated the relation between partner closeness and both the likelihood of being an IER partner (vs. a non-IER partner) and the frequency of going to that partner for IER (partner-IER-frequency). Additionally, there was an inverse relation between relationship quality and frequency of seeking IER from a partner at higher levels of BPD features, whereas there was no association between quality and frequency of IER at lower levels of BPD features. Finally, BPD features attenuated the relation between partner centrality and the likelihood of being an IER partner. Finding that those with elevated BPD features go to less central and close others for IER, even though there is no association between IER frequency and BPD features, bolsters our understanding of the intersection of interpersonal and emotional functioning and may provide future avenues for intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The Influence of Personality on Interpersonal Emotion Regulation in the Context of Psychosocial Stress.

Interpersonal emotion regulation is common in everyday life and important to various outcomes. However, there is a lack of understanding about the personality profiles of people who are good at regulating others' emotions. We conducted a dyadic study, pairing 89 'regulators' and 'targets', with the targets subjected to a psychosocial stressor in the form of a job interview, and the regulators instructed to manage the targets' feelings prior to the interview. We did not observe any relationship between the regulators' personality traits and the strategies that they reported using when trying to manage the targets' feelings, nor between the regulators' personalities and the targets' job interview performance. However, the anxiety levels of the targets who were paired with more extraverted regulators fluctuated less across the multiple measures throughout the study, suggesting more effective interpersonal emotion regulation. Our findings suggest that extraversion may be the most relevant trait in shaping interpersonal emotion regulation, and that the influence of personality on regulatory effectiveness is unlikely to arise due to preferences for using different types of strategies.

Empathy-driven entrepreneurial action: Well-being outcomes for entrepreneurs and target beneficiaries

Empathy is a primary driver of social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial action. However, empathizing individuals can arrive at different conclusions about what targets need. This variance in entrepreneurs' empathy for targets is important because it will help explain the type of interventions they initiate to help targets and the production of a range of benefits and costs for the targets and the entrepreneur. This study builds on and extends the theory of empathic interpersonal emotion regulation to construct an empathy-driven entrepreneurial-action model of well-being. We explore how an entrepreneur's empathy orientation for entrepreneurial action—the patterned way entrepreneurs focus their attention on a target's problems and then seek to enact this position through entrepreneurial action to help the target—shapes the organizing of an entrepreneurial intervention and the likely outcomes. We theorize entrepreneurial orientation of entrepreneurial action manifests as a hedonic paternalistic, counterhedonic, paternalistic, hedonic cooperative, or counter-hedonic cooperative. This empathy-driven entrepreneurial-action model of well-being contributes to the social entrepreneurship literature and inter-personal theories of empathy.

Differences in Interpersonal Resources and Risk Factors Among Mothers and Fathers of Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Serial Mediation Model.

Mothers and fathers of children on the autism spectrum may differ in their perception of their interpersonal resources and risk factors. Fathers (114) and mothers (507) of children on the autism spectrum participated in the study. Fathers (vs. mothers) reported lower interpersonal resources (interpersonal emotion regulation and perceived support from friends and formal sources, but not family) and higher levels of interpersonal risk factors (social, not emotional, loneliness). A serial mediation model indicated that parents' gender predicted interpersonal emotion regulation which in turn related to parents' social loneliness directly and indirectly through perceived social support. Fathers of children on the autism spectrum may differ from mothers in perceptions of interpersonal resources and risk factors related to parents' social belonging needs.

Interpersonal Emotion Regulation and Emotional Intelligence: A Review

In recent years, research on the connection between interpersonal emotion regulation and emotional intelligence has expanded. Both ideas have significant consequences for how people perform in a range of situations. While emotional intelligence refers to the capacity to comprehend and regulate emotions in oneself and others, interpersonal emotion regulation refers to the ability to control one's own and other's emotions during social interactions. This study analyses the most recent research on the connection between emotional intelligence and interpersonal emotion regulation, concentrating on the effects these abilities have on relationships, health, and the workplace. According to the findings of the research we analysed, people with high emotional intelligence are better able to control their emotions in social situations, which leads to better outcomes for stress management, conflict resolution, and relationship satisfaction. The way in which a person can enhance their emotional intelligence and interpersonal emotion regulation is through mindfulness techniques, training in emotional awareness, cognitive behavioural training, training in emotional regulation as well as social support

How do we regulate emotions of others in the here and now? Interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and nonverbal behaviors in immediate social interaction

How do we regulate emotions of others in the here and now? Interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and nonverbal behaviors in immediate social interaction

Psychometric Properties of Turkish Version of the Interpersonal Affect Improvement Strategies Questionnaire (IAISQ)

The aim of this study was to adapt the Interpersonal Affect Improvement Strategies Questionnaire (IAISQ) into Turkish population, as well as to examine its validity and reliability estimates. The sample consisted of 610 university students. The original factor structure of the scale was confirmed in Turkish sample by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The internal reliability coefficient was found as .75 for overall scale (.74 for Positive Engagement subscale, .63 for Acceptance subscale). Significant correlation coefficients were found between the subscales of IAISQ and Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (IERQ), confirming a good criterion related validity. Overall results suggest that Turkish form of IAISQ is a valid and reliable measure to use for research purposes in order to investigate the Turkish students’ interpersonal affect improvement strategies.

Psychometric Properties of Turkish Version of the Interpersonal Affect Improvement Strategies Questionnaire (IAISQ)

The aim of this study was to adapt the Interpersonal Affect Improvement Strategies Questionnaire (IAISQ) into Turkish population, as well as to examine its validity and reliability estimates. The sample consisted of 610 university students. The original factor structure of the scale was confirmed in Turkish sample by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The internal reliability coefficient was found as .75 for overall scale (.74 for Positive Engagement subscale, .63 for Acceptance subscale). Significant correlation coefficients were found between the subscales of IAISQ and Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (IERQ), confirming a good criterion related validity. Overall results suggest that Turkish form of IAISQ is a valid and reliable measure to use for research purposes in order to investigate the Turkish students’ interpersonal affect improvement strategies.

Evli Bireylerde Bağlanma Stilleri ile Duygu Düzenlemenin Affetme Üzerindeki Yordayıcı Rolü

Marriage is one of the important steps that spouses tend to be happy together and raise future generations. However, in the marriage life made with hope, there may be hurt and resentment as well as happy moments. After the negative situations where resentment occurs between spouses, they sometimes decide to get through relationship and sometimes they can choose to forgive each other by resolving their conflicts. For this reason, it is important to research forgiveness in marriage, taking into account the conflicts between spouses. The purpose of this research is investigating the predictive role of attachment styles and emotion regulation skills on forgiveness in married individuals. The study group consisted of 236 individuals, between the ages of 18-65, who were married for at least 1 year. In this study, "Experiences in Close Relationships- Revised", "Marriage Forgiveness Scale-Event" and "Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire: Co-Brooding and Co-Reappraisal" scales were used to collect data. According to the results of the research, as the avoidant attachment and brooding scores increase, the benevolence dimension score of the forgiveness scale decreases; as the anxious attachment, avoidant attachment and co-brooding scores increase, the avoidance dimension score of forgiveness increases, that is, the tendency to forgive decreases; while only anxious attachment predicted the retaliation dimension of forgiveness, co-reappraisal did not predict dimensions of the forgiveness scale.

Psychometric properties of interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaire in Turkish adolescents

Psychometric properties of interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaire in Turkish adolescents

Correction to: Digital and In-Person Interpersonal Emotion Regulation: The Role of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress

Correction to: Digital and In-Person Interpersonal Emotion Regulation: The Role of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress

MOMENTARY INTERPERSONAL EMOTION REGULATION IN AN ADULT LIFESPAN SAMPLE

Abstract Older adults are theorized to maintain emotional well-being by drawing on their available resources, such as social partners who support their emotional goals. In the present study, adults (N = 290) age 25-85 completed an experience sampling procedure (6x/day for 10 days) in which they reported their current emotions and use of interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) strategies. Unexpectedly, older age was associated with lower overall use of IER strategies. Results from multilevel models indicate that within-person associations between IER strategy use and positive affect were strongest among older adults, with older adults experiencing highest positive affect on occasions where they report engaging in IER. Between-person associations between IER strategy use and negative affect were only present among younger and middle-aged adults, indicating that younger individuals who use IER more on average tend to have higher negative affect. Findings highlight the role of social partners in older adults’ emotional wellbeing.

USING INTENSIVE LIFESPAN DATA TO GAIN DEEPER INSIGHT INTO COPING AND EMOTION REGULATION PROCESSES

Abstract Effective coping and emotion regulation are important for well-being across the lifespan. Successful maintenance or improvement in these processes are often invoked as explanations for age-related stability or enhancement of well-being. In this symposium, we leverage intensive data to gain a deeper understanding of how individuals manage daily emotions and stressors, critically examining evidence for age-related differences and similarities. Growney and English used experience sampling to examine interpersonal emotion regulation in adults aged 25-85, finding a negative association between age and interpersonal emotion regulation strategy use, but evidence suggesting more effective interpersonal emotion regulation in older age. Bellingtier and colleagues present evidence for age similarity in flexible emotion regulation strategy use across hassle domains in an experience sampling study of adolescents and adults aged 14-88, noting that hassle domain differentiation was associated with emotion regulation strategy use. O’Brien and Neupert used daily diaries to examine associations between daily stressor appraisals and affect in adults aged 60-90, identifying daily negative self-views of aging as a moderator which may be particularly consequential in older adulthood. Cerino and colleagues used data from the National Study of Daily Experiences to examine relationships between perceived stressor control and daily affect, highlighting differing findings across domains of interpersonal stressors. Finally, a discussion will center on the value of considering both age-related similarities and differences, age-relevant factors for successful emotion regulation and coping (e.g., negative and positive aspects of social relationships, views of aging), diverse contexts in which these processes occur, and statistical considerations with micro-longitudinal approaches.

Tendency to share positive emotions buffers loneliness-related negativity in the context of shared adversity

Loneliness is associated with adverse outcomes, and the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to increase loneliness. How loneliness-related outcomes unfold, though, varies across individuals. Individuals’ sense of social connectedness and engagement with others to regulate emotional experiences (interpersonal emotion regulation; IER) may modulate loneliness-related outcomes. Individuals failing to maintain social connectedness and/or regulate emotions may be at heightened risk. We assessed how loneliness, social connectedness, and IER related to valence bias, a tendency to categorize ambiguity as more positive or negative. Loneliness was associated with a more negative valence bias among individuals reporting above average social connectedness but who shared positive emotion less often (z = -3.19, p =.001). These findings suggest that sharing positive emotional experiences may buffer loneliness-related outcomes during shared adverse experiences.