Negative Emotion Dysregulation Research Articles

A latent profile analysis on adolescents' Non-Suicidal Self-Injury related to intrapersonal and interpersonal factors

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents continues to be a significant public health concern worldwide. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that the global prevalence of NSSI in adolescents aged 12–18 years was 17.2%, with higher rates reported among females (19.7%) than males (14.8%). This behavior has been linked to several negative outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to classify adolescents based on intrapersonal and interpersonal factors associated with NSSI proposed in Nock’s (2009) integrated model of NSSI, to identify distinct clusters targeting specific risk factors. This encompassed negative cognition, emotional vulnerability, poor coping skill, peer-victimization, family adaptability, and perceived stress. A total of 881 adolescents aged 11–16 years in South Korea completed self-reported questionnaires on automatic thoughts, depression, emotional regulation, peer victimization, family adaptability and perceived stress. Latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed three distinct classes: “the severe group”, “the moderate group”, “the mild group”. Class 3 (“severe group”: N = 127) exhibited greater severity related to NSSI, including negative cognition, emotional vulnerability, poor coping skills, peer victimization, and perceived stress, with weaker levels of factors that can prevent NSSI compared to class 1 (“mild group”: N = 416) and class 2 (“moderated group”: N = 338). The present study emphasizes the importance of considering both intrapersonal (e.g., negative automatic thoughts & emotional dysregulation) and interpersonal factors (i.e., peer victimization) when understanding NSSI - among adolescents. These findings can be utilized to develop interventions aimed at reducing the prevalence and severity of NSSI among adolescents.

Efficacy of the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of comorbid emotional disorders in patients with ultra high risk for psychosis: Results of a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe most common reason for help-seeking in ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis patients is comorbid symptoms, mainly anxiety and depression. However, psychological interventions are mainly focused on subthreshold psychotic symptoms. There is a growing push to include transdiagnostic therapies in specialized intervention teams for psychosis in young people. The Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) has demonstrated efficacy in emotional disorders, and its application has recently expanded to other pathologies such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar disorder (BD). MethodsThis pilot study was conducted with 36 patients with UHR for psychosis and symptoms of comorbid emotional disorders who were receiving treatment in an early intervention programme for psychosis. This is a randomised control trial (RCT) with two conditions: treatment as usual (TAU) with the group and online application of the UP (UP+TAU) (n = 18) and TAU (n = 18). Evaluations were conducted at baseline, after treatment, and at the three-month follow-up. ResultsComorbid anxiety and depression symptoms improved significantly in patients in the UP+TAU group compared to those in the TAU. Significant improvements in negative affect, emotional dysregulation, neuroticism, extraversion, functioning, and quality of life were also observed, and satisfaction with the intervention was high. ConclusionsUP may be an acceptable and effective intervention for the treatment of symptoms of comorbid emotional disorders in patients with UHR for psychosis. LimitationsThe sample size was small, and further studies are needed to test this intervention with larger samples of patients with UHR for psychosis with emotional comorbidities.

The Impact of Negative Emotional Dysregulation on the Outcome of Bariatric Surgery in Patients with Severe Obesity: An Observational One-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background: Psychiatric symptoms are highly prevalent in patients with severe obesity, often representing pivotal factors in the development and progression of this condition. This study examines the association between negative emotional dysregulation (NED) and weight loss following bariatric surgery. Methods: Ninety-nine patients were consecutively enrolled at the Obesity Center of the Pisa University Hospital between March 2019 and February 2021, during a routine psychiatric evaluation before bariatric surgery. Psychopathological dimensions were assessed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity, and Stability questionnaire in its 40-item version (RIPoSt-40), the Wender-Reimherr Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (WRAADDS) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Based on a RIPoSt-40 cut-off score of 70, subjects were divided into two groups: with (NED+) and without (NED-) NED. Results: NED+ subjects had a higher rate of psychiatric comorbidities and eating disorders than NED- patients. Of the total sample, 76 underwent bariatric surgery, and 65 of them were re-evaluated one-year after surgery. Among them, 10 of 28 NED+ subjects (37.5%) had inadequate weight loss one year after surgery compared to 5 of 37 NED- subjects (13.5%) (p = 0.035, OR 3.55, 95%, C.I. 1.05-12.03). Conclusions: Our results suggest a significant association between NED and inadequate weight loss at one-year post surgery.

Positive Emotion Dysregulation and Social Impairments in Adolescents with and without ADHD.

Although research suggests that emotion dysregulation may underlie adolescents' social impairments, studies have focused almost exclusively on the dysregulation of negative emotions. The present study addressed this gap in the literature by examining whether behavioral manifestations of positive emotion dysregulation are also implicated. A sample of 13-18-year-old adolescents (56.8% female) with and without a childhood diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was used, increasing variability in impairment profiles. Adolescents self-reported behavioral difficulties related to positive emotion dysregulation (i.e., impulse control difficulties, difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, and non-acceptance of positive emotions), negative emotion dysregulation, and social impairments (i.e., peer rejection, friendship quality, deviant peer affiliation, aggression, and victimization); parents rated adolescent's ADHD symptoms. Regression analyses indicated that impulse control difficulties when experiencing positive emotions uniquely predicted greater conflict in the best friend relationship, deviant peer affiliation, aggression, and victimization, even when accounting for negative emotion dysregulation and current ADHD symptoms. The significant effect of impulse control difficulties on these social impairments was consistent when accounting for oppositional defiant disorder and depression symptoms and when examining the main predictors only in adolescents with childhood or adolescent clinical elevations in ADHD symptoms. These results are the first to indicate that even for adolescents with ADHD, positive emotion dysregulation, and specifically impulse control difficulties, may significantly predict social challenges.

The mediating role of parent stress in the relationship between children’s emotion dysregulation and ADHD risk: a pilot study

Despite the well-known link between earlier children’s emotional dysregulation and their high risk of developing later ADHD symptoms, few studies investigated the relationships between positive and negative emotion dysregulation, on the one hand, and ADHD symptoms, on the other one, via parent stress. This pilot study aimed to investigate the mediating role of parental stress on the relationship between children’s positive and negative emotion dysregulation and ADHD risk indices. A sample of 62 children (Female = 38.2%; M = 65.90 months; SD = 3.8) was rated by one of their parents (i.e., mothers), using the subscales of the Italian Temperament Questionnaire (QUIT; i.e., positive and negative emotionality) and the subscales of Conners’ Parent Rating Scale-Revised (CPRS; i.e., hyperactivity and inattentions deficit). Furthermore, parents reported their stress levels by completing the Parenting Stress Index—Short Form (PSI-SF) self-report. Findings show the mediating role of parental stress on the relationship between negative emotion dysregulation and both measures of ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention deficit).

Measuring emotion dysregulation in daily life: an experience sampling study

ABSTRACT Background Literature underscores the importance of emotion dysregulation in clinical research. However, one critical limitation of the existing investigations in this area involves the lack of psychometrically valid measures for assessing emotion dysregulation in individuals’ daily lives. This study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of momentary versions of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (mDERS) and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Positive (mDERS-P). Methods Participants were 145 community women (M age = 40.66, 40.7% white) experiencing intimate partner violence and using substances who participated in a baseline interview and then completed surveys three times a day for 30 days. Results Analyses supported the reliability of the mDERS and the mDERS-P. The two-state, two-trait model, with separate factors for negative and positive emotion dysregulation at both the within-and between-levels, fit the data best. Momentary negative, but not positive, emotions were positively related to the mDERS; both momentary negative and positive emotions were positively related to the mDERS-P. Baseline trait negative, but not positive, emotion dysregulation, was related to greater variability in momentary negative and positive emotion dysregulation. Conclusion Findings advance our understanding and measurement of emotion dysregulation using intensive longitudinal approaches.

Insomnia Severity Predicts Psychiatric Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating the Partial Mediations of Worry and Rumination

Objective Insomnia as a disorder on its own or as a symptom of other mental disorders can lead to significant distress and lower quality of life. By exacerbating negative affect and emotion dysregulation, poor sleep and insomnia can contribute to the initiation and maintenance of mental disorders. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between insomnia severity and overall psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, somatization, phobic anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism), and the mediational roles of worry and rumination in this relationship. Method The data was collected from a community sample of 1444 participants (females 69.39%, Mage = 27.95, SD = 9.37) who completed self-report measures of insomnia severity, worry, rumination, and psychiatric symptoms. The mediational roles of worry and rumination were tested with mediation analysis using the PROCESS Macro. Results It was found that insomnia severity (β = 0.20, p < .001) significantly predicted psychiatric symptoms directly and via worry and rumination (β = 0.33, p < .001), meaning that worry and rumination partially mediated the relationship between insomnia severity and psychiatric symptoms. The findings were similar after controlling for smoking status, daily screen time, coffee consumption in the evening, weekly exercise frequency, and pre-sleep screen time. Conclusions Interventions targeting the reduction of insomnia severity and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (e.g., worry and rumination), as well as the enhancement of adaptive emotion regulation strategies (e.g., positive refocusing and mindfulness), may alleviate the adverse effects of insomnia on psychiatric symptoms.

Affective temperament and emotional dysregulation in cyclothymia and adult ADHD: differential characteristics and clinical implications.

IntroductionEmotional dysregulation is central to the problem of the overlap between attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cyclothymia.ObjectivesWe aimed to compare clinical characteristics, psychiatric comorbidity, affective temperament, and emotional dysregulation among subjects with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cyclothymia.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 187 participants were consecutively recruited between January 2018 and December 2019 at the outpatient clinic of the 2nd Psychiatry Unit of the University Hospital of Pisa. Eighty-one subjects were diagnosed with ADHD, 62 with cyclothymic disorder, and 44 with both conditions. Participating psychiatrists collected socio-demographic and clinical data, psychiatric comorbidities according to DSM-5 criteria, familiarity for psychiatric disorders, and any previous responses to antidepressant drug therapy. To study the temperamental characteristics of the participants, the short version of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Temperament Assessment (Brief-TEMPS-M) was administered, while emotional dysregulation was measured through the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity, Stability questionnaire (RIPoSt-40).ResultsCyclothymic subjects, both with and without ADHD, were more often female (p&lt;0.001) than subjects with ADHD. Participants with ADHD showed significantly lower educational attainment than subjects without ADHD (p&lt;0.001). In addition, participants with ADHD alone showed comorbid substance use disorder more frequently (p&lt;0.001) than subjects with cyclothymia alone. On the other hand, the latter showed higher rates of eating disorders (p=0.033) and familiarity for major depressive disorder (p=0.009) and panic disorder (p=0.029). Depressive and anxious temperament was significantly more represented in cyclothymic subjects without ADHD, as was negative emotionality, while hyperthymic temperament showed an opposite trend. No significant differences were observed between groups for cyclothymic temperament and overall negative emotional dysregulation, but patients comorbid with both conditions had the highest scores in these subscales.ConclusionsADHD and cyclothymia show high and overall similar levels of emotional dysregulation. However, cyclothymic patients may be more prone to negative emotionality (“dark cyclothymia”). It is possible that individuals with “sunny” cyclothymic features may escape clinical attention if ADHD is not present in comorbidity.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The effect of training to target cognitive biases towards social rejection in eating disorders.

This study examined the effect of cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) training in Korean women with eating disorders (EDs). Sixty-three women with EDs participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group where they received six sessions of CBM-I training (n=31) in addition to treatment-as-usual or were put on a waiting list (n=32). Participants' interpretation and attention biases, emotion regulation, affect, and ED psychopathology were assessed at baseline, end-of-intervention (4weeks), and follow-up (8weeks). Participants who completed the CBM-I training displayed greater reductions in negative interpretation bias (Δη2 =0.107) and emotion dysregulation (Δη2=0.085) with medium to large effect sizes compared to the control group, which were maintained from baseline to follow-up. Disengagement from negative faces and a focus on positive faces was found in the intervention group with a moderate effect size at the end-of-intervention (Δη2=0.090). Both intervention and control groups showed improvements in ED psychopathology. Baseline neuroticism was positively correlated with CBM-I effect. The results suggest that modifying interpretation bias towards ambiguous social stimuli might be an effective adjuvant treatment to reduce negative expectations of social situations and improve emotion regulation in women with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.

Daily Levels and Dynamic Metrics of Affective-Cognitive Constructs Associate With Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours in Adults After Psychiatric Hospitalization.

The period after psychiatric hospitalization is an extraordinarily high-risk period for suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STBs). Affective-cognitive constructs (ACCs) are salient risk factors for STBs, and intensive longitudinal metrics of these constructs may improve personalized risk detection and intervention. However, limited research has examined how within-person daily levels and between-person dynamic metrics of ACCs relate to STBs after hospital discharge. Adult psychiatric inpatients (N = 95) completed a 65-day ecological momentary assessment protocol after discharge as part of a 6-month follow-up period. Using dynamic structural equation models, we examined both within-person daily levels and between-person dynamic metrics (intensity, variability and inertia) of positive and negative affect, rumination, distress intolerance and emotion dysregulation as risk factors for STBs. Within-person lower daily levels of positive affect and higher daily levels of negative affect, rumination, distress intolerance and emotion dysregulation were risk factors for next-day suicidal ideation (SI). Same-day within-person higher rumination and negative affect were also risk factors for same-day SI. At the between-person level, higher overall positive affect was protective against active SI and suicidal behaviour over the 6-month follow-up, while greater variability of rumination and distress intolerance increased risk for active SI, suicidal behaviour and suicide attempt. The present study provides the most comprehensive examination to date of intensive longitudinal metrics of ACCs as risk factors for STBs. Results support the continued use of intensive longitudinal methods to improve STB risk detection. Interventions focusing on rumination and distress intolerance may specifically help to prevent suicidal crises during critical transitions in care.

Longitudinal examination of borderline personality disorder symptoms and drug use: The influence of negative and positive emotion dysregulation.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with greater substance use. Emotion dysregulation has been implicated in both BPD and substance use, yet there is limited research examining the role of emotion dysregulation in the BPD-substance use relation. We examined the independent and interactive associations of BPD symptoms and emotion dysregulation in reported drug use over 1year. Participants (N = 143) were over-recruited for BPD, assessed via interview, and completed measures of negative and positive emotion dysregulation. Drug use frequency was assessed with monthly surveys over a 1-year period. Results demonstrated interrelations among BPD symptoms and both negative and positive emotion dysregulation. However, when modeling BPD and emotion dysregulation together, only higher BPD symptoms were associated with more frequent drug use. Findings support the relation of BPD symptoms and emotion dysregulation but suggest that emotion dysregulation may not account for drug use frequency above and beyond BPD in community-recruited populations.

Borderline personality disorder and multidimensional impulsivity: The roles of positive and negative emotion dysregulation

BackgroundRisky, self-destructive impulsivity and emotion dysregulation are core features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Yet impulsivity is multidimensional and has rarely been comprehensively assessed in BPD. Impulsivity has been linked to negative emotion dysregulation, yet explorations of the role of positive emotion dysregulation have been neglected. The current study attempts to extend existing literature by identifying the pattern of associations of specific domains of impulsivity, using both self-report and behavioral measures in BPD, and the role of both negative and positive emotion dysregulation in this link. MethodsAdults with BPD (n = 48), subthreshold BPD (n = 37), and without BPD (n = 78) completed a diagnostic interview, self-report measures, and multiple behavioral tasks. We examined correlations between primary variables, then examined the role of negative and positive emotion dysregulation in the association between BPD and specific domains of impulsivity. ResultsNegative emotion dysregulation accounted for the link between BPD and negative urgency, (lack of) premeditation, and (lack of) perseverance, while positive emotion dysregulation accounted for the relation between BPD and sensation seeking. LimitationsKey limitations of this study include using a relatively homogeneous sample and using abbreviated versions of one behavioral task, among others discussed. ConclusionsThese findings locate the precise impulsivity impairments in BPD and highlight the differential roles of negative and positive emotion dysregulation. Understanding the impulsivity deficits associated with BPD will further explain the impulsive behaviors associated with this disorder, and the contexts in which they occur, which may streamline clinical treatments.

0149 Emotion Dysregulation and Sleep Disturbances in Trauma-Exposed College Students

Abstract Introduction Trauma-exposed individuals are at risk of developing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has been linked to both sleep disturbances and sleep-related daytime impairment. A growing body of literature suggests affective processes, such as negative and positive emotion regulation, may influence associations between PTSD and sleep. Therefore, our study aimed to examine if there was a direct effect of negative and positive emotion dysregulation on sleep disturbances and sleep-related impairment above the influence of PTSD symptoms. Methods Participants were 460 trauma-exposed college students (69.8% female; 62.0% White; Mage = 20.13 ± 2.94) recruited from the University of North Texas. Trauma exposure was assessed with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. Participants completed demographic questionnaires, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (excluding sleep-related questions), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation – Positive (DERS-P), the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance (PROMIS-SD), and Sleep-Related Impairment (PROMIS-SRI) Short Forms. Multiple regression models with robust standard errors were conducted to examine associations between both positive and negative emotion dysregulation on sleep disturbances and sleep-related impairment, covarying for PTSD symptoms, age, gender, race, and ethnicity. Results Greater negative emotion dysregulation was associated with greater sleep disturbances (b = 0.06, SE = 0.03, p = .015, ηp2 = 0.01) above the influence of positive emotion dysregulation, PTSD symptoms, age, gender, race, and ethnicity (R2 = 0.28). Greater negative emotion dysregulation was also associated with greater sleep-related impairments (b = 0.20, SE = 0.03, p &amp;lt; .001, ηp2 = 0.08) above the influence of the same covariates (R2 = 0.31). Positive emotion dysregulation was not associated with sleep disturbances or sleep-related impairments. Conclusion Results suggest that more difficulty regulating negative emotions is linked to disturbed sleep among trauma-exposed individuals. Additional experimental work is needed to understand if regulating negative emotions via cognitive-behavioral strategies (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive restructuring) can lead to downstream improvements in sleep. Support (if any)

Micro-Longitudinal Examination of Emotion Dysregulation and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Community Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: Modeling Reciprocal Relationships Using Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling

Research examining emotion dysregulation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has seen tremendous growth over the past decade. However, past investigations have almost exclusively relied on cross-sectional designs and have neglected to consider the potential role of dysregulation stemming from positive emotions. The current study utilized rigorous methodology (experience sampling) and statistics (dynamic structural equation modeling) to explicate daily reciprocal associations between negative and positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms. Participants were 145 community women (M age = 40.66, 40.7% white) experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and using substances who participated in a baseline interview and then completed surveys three times a day for 30 days. Results at the between-person level showed that women who reported higher negative and positive emotion dysregulation also reported more PTSD symptoms. At the within-person level, findings supported a significant contemporaneous effect between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms. Further, there was a significant cross-lagged effect from negative emotion dysregulation to next-interval PTSD symptoms. Results suggest that positive emotion dysregulation co-occurs with PTSD symptoms and that negative emotion dysregulation predicts PTSD symptoms. Findings provide additional support for the utility of addressing both negative and positive emotion dysregulation in the treatment of PTSD among women experiencing IPV.

A daily diary study of minority stressors, suicidal ideation, nonsuicidal self-injury ideation, and affective mechanisms among sexual and gender minority youth.

Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) are at greater risk than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Unique stressors (i.e., minority stressors) specific to SGMY's stigmatized identities such as discrimination or concealment of one's identity are posited to explain these disparities. However, there is limited research examining the associations among minority stressors, affective mediating processes, and STB and NSSI in SGMY's daily lives. We conducted a 28-day daily diary study to test the mediating effects of daily negative and positive affect and emotion dysregulation between minority stressors and STB and NSSI among SGMY who were recruited from clinical and community settings. Participants were 92 SGMY, aged 12-19 years old (M = 16.45; SD = 1.81; 64% cisgender; 69% White). Results indicated that on days SGMY experienced external and internalized minority stressors, they reported greater intensity of suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injurious ideation and affective distress (i.e., greater negative affect, lower positive affect, and more emotion dysregulation). Greater affective reactivity processes were associated with greater suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injurious ideation intensity on the same day. Most of the within-person associations between external and internalized minority stressors and ideation intensity were mediated by heightened negative affect and emotion dysregulation but not lower positive affect. Our results provide the first evidence of these associations among SGMY, advance the minority stress model, and have implications for clinical interventions as we identified modifiable affective mechanisms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Emotion Dysregulation in the Association Between Substance Use Stigma and Depressive Symptoms Among Trauma-Exposed, Substance-Using Individuals.

Despite the well-documented association between experiences of substance use stigma and adverse mental health outcomes, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. Utilizing a community sample of substance-using adults who have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, the current study examined the role of dysregulation stemming from both negative and positive emotions in the relation between substance use stigma and depressive symptoms. Community participants (N = 320, 46.9% women) completed self-report measures of substance-use-related stigma experiences, negative and positive emotion dysregulation, and depressive symptoms. Results showed that, adjusting for gender and substance use severity, substance use stigma was positively associated with emotion dysregulation, which in turn related to depressive symptoms. Substance use stigma was also found to be indirectly associated with depressive symptoms through emotion dysregulation, suggesting that emotion dysregulation accounted for the significant association between substance use stigma and depressive symptoms. These findings provide initial support for the role of emotion dysregulation as a mechanism through which stigma operates to undermine the mental health of substance-using, trauma-exposed individuals. Results underscore the potential utility of targeting emotion dysregulation in intervention efforts that are designed to facilitate stigma coping among individuals who use alcohol and/or drugs.

Abnormal global signal topography of self modulates emotion dysregulation in major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex mental disorder featured by an increased focus on the self and emotion dysregulation whose interaction remains unclear, though. At the same time, various studies observed abnormal representation of global fMRI brain activity in specifically those regions, e.g., cortical midline structure (CMS) in MDD that are associated with the self. Are the self and its impact on emotion regulation related to global brain activity unevenly represented in CMS relative to non-CMS? Addressing this yet open question is the main goal of our study. We here investigate post-acute treatment responder MDD and healthy controls in fMRI during an emotion task involving both attention and reappraisal of negative and neutral stimuli. We first demonstrate abnormal emotion regulation with increased negative emotion severity on the behavioral level. Next, focusing on a recently established three-layer topography of self, we show increased representation of global fMRI brain activity in specifically those regions mediating the mental (CMS) and exteroceptive (Right temporo-parietal junction and mPFC) self in post-acute MDD during the emotion task. Applying a complex statistical model, namely multinomial regression analyses, we show that increased global infra-slow neural activity in the regions of the mental and exteroceptive self modulates the behavioral measures of specifically negative emotion regulation (emotion attention and reappraisal/suppression). Together, we demonstrate increased representation of global brain activity in regions of the mental and exteroceptive self, including their modulation of negative emotion dysregulation in specifically the infra-slow frequency range (0.01 to 0.1 Hz) of post-acute MDD. These findings support the assumption that the global infra-slow neural basis of the increased self-focus in MDD may take on the role as basic disturbance in that it generates the abnormal regulation of negative emotions.

Associations between positive memory count and hazardous substance use in a trauma-exposed sample: Examining the moderating role of emotion dysregulation.

Research has demonstrated links between autobiographical memory retrieval and hazardous substance use. However, limited work has examined relations between positive autobiographical memories and hazardoussubstance use, as well as moderating factors influencing these relations. Thus, we examined the potential moderating roles of negative and positive emotion dysregulation in the relations between count of retrieved positive memories and hazardous substance use (alcohol and drug use separately). Participants were 333 trauma-exposed students (Mage = 21.05; 85.9% women) who completed self-report measures assessing positive memory count, hazardous alcohol and drug use, negative emotion dysregulation, and positive emotion dysregulation. Positive emotion dysregulation significantly moderated the association between positive memory count and hazardous alcohol use (b = 0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.01, 0.06], p = 0.019), as well as the association between positive memory count and hazardous drug use (b = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03], p = 0.002). Individuals with more positive emotion dysregulation had stronger associations between increases in positive memory count and increased hazardous substance use. Findings indicate that trauma-exposed individuals who retrieve more positive memories and experience difficulties regulating positive emotions report greater hazardous substance use. Positive emotion dysregulation may be an important target for memory-based interventions among trauma-exposed individuals who report hazardous substance use.

The Role of Emotion Dysregulation in the Relationship Between Sleep Disturbances and PTSD Symptom Severity.

Emotion dysregulation is implicated in the development, maintenance, and treatment of sleep disturbances and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) separately. However, few studies have assessed interactions among these variables. To address this gap, this study examined whether the associations of sleep quality and sleep quantity with PTSD severity were stronger at higher levels of negative and positive emotion dysregulation in a community sample of 199 trauma-exposed individuals. This study found that both poorer sleep quality and lower sleep quantity were associated with greater PTSD severity at low to average (but not high) levels of negative emotion dysregulation. Positive emotion dysregulation did not moderate the relationships between sleep quality or quantity and PTSD severity. Exploratory additive multiple moderation analyses showed significant associations between poorer sleep quality and lower sleep quantity with greater PTSD severity at low to average levels of negative emotion dysregulation, coupled with any level of positive emotion dysregulation. Findings inform theoretical perspectives on the sleep-PTSD relationship and clinical applications of targeting emotion dysregulation in the treatment of sleep disturbances and PTSD symptoms for trauma-exposed individuals.

Difficulties with positive emotion regulation in anorexia nervosa.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) have well-documented difficulties regulating negative emotions, but less is known about positive emotion regulation in this population. To address this gap, we compared responses on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Positive questionnaire and the traditional DERS questionnaire (measuring negative affect dysregulation) between females with AN (n=30) and demographically-matched controls without an eating disorder history (NC; n=30) and examined relations between positive emotion regulation and clinical symptoms. Results indicated that individuals with AN demonstrated greater difficulty regulating negative (p<0.001, d=2.75) and positive (p<0.001, d=1.08) emotions compared to NC participants. Specifically, the AN group reported heightened positive emotion nonacceptance (p=0.004, d=0.78) and impulsivity (p=0.003, d=0.81). Greater positive emotion nonacceptance was associated with higher anxiety (p=0.015) and depression (p=0.022) among individuals with AN. Unexpectedly, more positive emotion impulsivity was associated with less restrictive eating in AN (p<0.001). Findings were largely maintained even after controlling for negative emotion dysregulation and psychotropic medication use. The results suggest that reducing shame related to positive emotions could improve mood in AN; alternatively, relinquishing control when experiencing positive emotion could reduce restriction. More research is warranted on positive emotion regulation as a treatment target for AN.