Reappraisal Ability Research Articles

Negative Emotion Differentiation Promotes Cognitive Reappraisal: Evidence From Electroencephalogram Oscillations and Phase-Amplitude Coupling.

Cognitive reappraisal, an effective emotion regulation strategy, is influenced by various individual factors. Although previous studies have established a link between negative emotion differentiation (NED) and cognitive reappraisal, the underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unknown. Using electroencephalography, this study investigates the influence and neural basis of NED in cognitive reappraisal by integrating aspects of event-related potentials, neural oscillation rhythms, and cross-frequency coupling. The findings revealed that individuals with high NED demonstrated a significant decrease in parietal late positive potential amplitudes during cognitive reappraisal, suggesting enhanced cognitive reappraisal abilities. Moreover, high NED individuals displayed increased γ synchronization, parietal α-γ coupling, and frontal θ-γ coupling when reappraising negative emotions than those with low emotion differentiation ability. Machine learning analysis of these neural indicators highlighted the superior classification and predictive accuracy of multimodal indicators for NED as opposed to unimodal indicators. Overall, this multimodal evidence provides a comprehensive interpretation of the neurophysiological mechanisms through which NED influences cognitive reappraisal and provides preliminary empirical support for personalized cognitive reappraisal interventions to alleviate emotional problems.

Decoding acceptance and reappraisal strategies from resting state macro networks

Acceptance and reappraisal are considered adaptive emotion regulation strategies. While previous studies have explored the neural underpinnings of these strategies using task-based fMRI and sMRI, a gap exists in the literature concerning resting-state functional brain networks’ contributions to these abilities, especially regarding acceptance. Another intriguing question is whether these strategies rely on similar or different neural mechanisms. Building on the well-known improved emotion regulation and increased cognitive flexibility of individuals who rely on acceptance, we expected to find decreased activity inside the affective network and increased activity inside the executive and sensorimotor networks to be predictive of acceptance. We also expect that these networks may be associated at least in part with reappraisal, indicating a common mechanism behind different strategies. To test these hypotheses, we conducted a functional connectivity analysis of resting-state data from 134 individuals (95 females; mean age: 30.09 ± 12.87 years, mean education: 12.62 ± 1.41 years). To assess acceptance and reappraisal abilities, we used the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and a group-ICA unsupervised machine learning approach to identify resting-state networks. Subsequently, we conducted backward regression to predict acceptance and reappraisal abilities. As expected, results indicated that acceptance was predicted by decreased affective, and executive, and increased sensorimotor networks, while reappraisal was predicted by an increase in the sensorimotor network only. Notably, these findings suggest both distinct and overlapping brain contributions to acceptance and reappraisal strategies, with the sensorimotor network potentially serving as a core common mechanism. These results not only align with previous findings but also expand upon them, illustrating the complex interplay of cognitive, affective, and sensory abilities in emotion regulation.

Effects of Mindfulness and Life-Skills Training on Emotion Regulation and Anxiety Symptoms in Chinese Migrant Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PurposeChina’s rapid urbanization has been associated with increased mental health challenges, especially in rural-to-urban migrant children. This study evaluates the effects of mindfulness and life-skills (LS) training on emotional regulation and anxiety symptoms from a randomized controlled trial aimed at improving the mental health of Chinese migrant children. MethodsTwo intervention arms—mindfulness training (MT) and MT plus LS mentorship (MT + LS)—were compared to a waitlist control group of 368 migrant children aged 9–17 years. Volunteers were trained to deliver interventions to 285 migrant children in small groups of 15 for eight weeks weekly. Social integration varied: migrant children mixed with local children at public schools were considered highly integrated, those in migrant-only classrooms at public schools had intermediate levels of integration, and children in private migrant schools had low integration. Emotion regulation and anxiety symptoms were assessed preintervention, postintervention, and three months postintervention. ResultsPostintervention and compared to the control group, children with high social integration in the MT arm showed increased cognitive reappraisal ability (p < .05) but higher physical anxiety (p < .01). Children with high social integration in the MT + LS arm had lower anxiety symptoms of harm avoidance (p < .01) and physical anxiety (p < .05). Children with low social integration in the MT + LS arm showed lower cognitive reappraisal (p < .01) and poorer overall emotion regulation abilities (p < .01). Three months later, children with intermediate integration in the MT + LS arm had lower separation anxiety (p < .05) and harm avoidance anxiety (p < .05). No other groups showed significant improvements in emotion regulation or reducing in anxiety symptoms three months postintervention. DiscussionMindfulness and LS training may benefit Chinese migrant children who have higher levels of social integration but increase anxiety in those with lower social integration. Future research should consider the sociocultural context in which a treatment is implemented.

Culture, emotion, and cognition: Understanding the psychological dynamics of Chinese sports with emotional regulation skills and cognitive reappraisal

This study illuminates the complex relationship between cultural orientation towards collectivism, emotional regulation skills, cognitive reappraisal ability, sports engagement, perceived coach support, and sports self-efficacy in Chinese athletes' performance satisfaction. Seven hundred and fifty athletes from Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Sichuan completed 5-point Likert scale assessments. The study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze variable connections. The results reveal significant relationships between performance satisfaction and cultural orientation towards collectivism (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), emotional regulation skills (β = 0.28, p < 0.001), cognitive reappraisal ability (β = 0.32, p < 0.01), sports engagement (β = 0.20, p < 0.05), perceived coach support (β = 0.25, p < 0.01), and self-efficacy in sports (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). These findings underscore the importance of psychological factors in shaping athlete well-being and performance satisfaction. These relationships linked the self-determination theory, social support theory, and the transactional model of stress and coping. Treatments that improve athlete self-efficacy, emotional control, and coach-athlete relationships may improve player happiness, retention, and organizational performance. These actions affect management and the economy. A supportive environment and athlete development initiatives may boost athlete well-being and performance, leading to long-term sports success and competitiveness.

Incentivized fake reviews: When cognitive reappraisal paves the way for an immoral journey

AbstractRecent studies explain how to detect fake reviews and their impacts on consumers and businesses. Despite the prevalence and significance of fake reviews, prior research has yet to fully explore the motivations and psychological mechanisms behind voluntary participation in writing fake reviews, especially in incentivized campaigns. This paper explains why consumers engage in the immoral act of writing fake reviews in return for free products. We investigate the interactive role of individuals' self‐focused motivations and cognitive reappraisal ability in diminishing consumers' moral emotions of guilt, subsequently influencing their intention to write incentivized reviews. Built on three studies, the findings reveal that customers' self‐focused motivations coupled with their ability to regulate emotions dissuade their feelings of guilt. Consequently, customers who experience downregulated emotions of guilt show a higher intention to write incentivized fake reviews. This study contributes to the existing literature by illustrating the driving factors toward writing incentivized fake reviews, especially by depicting the negative role of cognitive reappraisal. The study also has managerial implications indicating that such customer behavior can be avoided by fostering a sense of consideration toward others by making them aware about the impact of their actions.

Association between Body-Image Satisfaction and Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms among Women with PCOS: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Strategies

Anxiety and depressive symptoms are prevalent in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and there is a great need for culturally relevant interventions to improve anxiety and depressive symptoms in women with PCOS. The current study aimed to analyze the factors influencing body-image satisfaction, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in Chinese women with PCOS. It also aimed to clarify the association between body-image satisfaction and anxiety and depressive symptoms in women with PCOS, and whether this association was mediated by cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. A total of 477 women with PCOS were recruited from the Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine Center of one university-affiliated tertiary hospital in China. They completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Body Image States Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The study found body-image satisfaction showed significant associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. This association was mediated by cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. The findings of this study offer new insights into the relationship between body image and anxiety and depressive symptoms in women with PCOS. They also emphasize the potential value of promoting body-image satisfaction and enhancing cognitive reappraisal abilities to improve the mental health of women with PCOS.

The effect of cognitive reappraisal on food craving and consumption: Does working memory capacity influence reappraisal ability? An event-related potential study

Regulating cravings for unhealthy foods in favour of healthier options is essential for weight management. Cognitive reappraisal, which involves changing the meaning of a stimulus to modify its emotional impact, has shown promise for regulating food craving and consumption. Eighty participants were presented with high-calorie (HC) and low-calorie (LC) food pictures preceded by cues signalling instructions to naturally view the food (i.e., passive viewing; LOOK) or to imagine the future consequences of consuming that food (i.e., cognitive reappraisal; REGULATE). Participants' subjective craving and event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured, and food consumption after the task was assessed. Participants’ working memory capacity (WMC) was measured with the automated Operation Span task. During cognitive reappraisal, cravings for HC foods decreased, whereas cravings for LC foods increased, compared to passive viewing. Cravings for LC and HC foods were correlated with consumptions of LC and HC foods, respectively. Occipital N1 (100–200ms) amplitudes were more negative for LC than for HC pictures, but were not modulated by strategy (LOOK or REGULATE), whereas early posterior negativity (EPN; 200–300ms) was not sensitive to food type (HC or LC) or strategy. Late positive potential (LPP; 400–1000ms) ERPs were largest in the HC-REGULATE condition, possibly due to cognitive processes induced by focusing on the consequences of unhealthy foods. Late LPP (1000–3000ms) was not affected by food type or strategy. LPP amplitudes were not correlated with cravings. WMC was weakly correlated with cravings for LC following reappraisal, suggesting that WMC may influence reappraisal ability. In sum, focusing on future consequences of eating may promote healthier food choices through craving regulation. Further research is needed to examine how regulatory effects evolve over time and how they relate to WMC and brain activity.

31 Sex Differences in Emotion Regulation and Emotional Awareness in Middle Aged and Older Adults

Objective:We measured sex differences in emotion regulation (ER) abilities – relying on exercise of cognitive reappraisal – during an image rating task in adults over 55 years of age with varying degrees of depression symptom severity. We also collected a self-report measure on participants' views of their own ER capacities. Previous research by this group has demonstrated the importance of emotion processing in the context of sex and aging in depression. We hypothesized that females would (1) score higher on the Cognitive Reappraisal Facet of the ERQ, (2) be more successful in utilizing cognitive reappraisal skills in response to negative stimuli; and (3) have self-report scores on the ERQ that more closely match their success at cognitive reappraisal than would males.Participants and Methods:capacities. Previous research by this group has demonstrated the importance of emotion processing in the context of sex and aging in depression. We hypothesized that females would (1) score higher on the Cognitive Reappraisal Facet of the ERQ, (2) be more successful in utilizing cognitive reappraisal skills in response to negative stimuli; and (3) have self-report scores on the ERQ that more closely match their success at cognitive reappraisal than would males.Results:Only the first of our three outcome measures was successfully predicted by the model including age, MADRS scores, and sex as predictors. Scores on the ERQ cognitive reappraisal facet with sex accounted for 11.3% of the variance (F=7.344, p=.009). Age and depression symptom severity did not reach significance. Performance on the ERT itself and the correlation between the two were not meaningfully modeled.Conclusions:Women showed both better cognitive reappraisal abilities overall and more insight into the level of those abilities, findings that fall in line with most ER literature. However, we found that females were also more likely than males to be skewed in the positive or “overconfident” direction; to overestimate those same abilities. This information is useful for clinicians interpreting self-report information in the emotion regulation domain. These findings may not generalize to a more diverse (racially and socioeconomically) population and given the cognitive nature of the reappraisal strategy; these results may not extend to a less educated population. These data will be useful to inform the interpretation of fMRI images from this same experiment.

Cognitive reappraisal and corresponding neural basis mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and depression

BackgroundChildhood maltreatment is considered as a robust predictor of depression. However, the underlying psychological and neurological mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment and depression remain poorly understood. Sufficient evidence demonstrates emotion dysregulation in individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment, but it is unknown whether these changes represent vulnerability for depression. Here we speculated that decreased cognitive reappraisal and its corresponding neural basis might explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and follow-up depression. MethodsFirst, we investigated whether cognitive reappraisal can explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depression, with a cross-sectional (n = 657) behavioral sample. Then we recruit 38 maltreated participants and 27 controls to complete the cognitive reappraisal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task. The between-group difference in brain activation and functional connectivity (FC) were tested using independent t-tests. Finally, we investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment, task-based brain activity and depression. ResultsThe behavior results suggested that cognitive reappraisal mediates the association between childhood maltreatment and depression. In addition, the maltreated group exhibited lower activation of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and higher FC of between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), OFC, and amygdala during cognitive reappraisal, compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, the FC of DLPFC-amygdala mediates the association between childhood maltreatment and depression. ConclusionIn summary, childhood maltreatment is associated with inefficient cognitive reappraisal ability, manifesting as aberrant modulation of cortical areas on amygdala. These cognitive and neural deficits might explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and risk of depression in later life.

29 Regulate to Remember: Cognitive Reappraisal Ability Impacts Prospective Memory Performance

Objective:Emotion regulation is generally thought of as the process of overriding one's initial emotional response to personally relevant events. One frequently investigated type of emotion regulation is cognitive reappraisal, which describes one's ability to cognitively alter the meaning of an event. Cognitive reappraisal is associated with better cognitive, social, and health outcomes compared to other emotion regulation strategies. The cognitive building blocks of cognitive reappraisal are related to executive cognitive control processes, which broadly describe one's ability to engage in non-automatic and goal-oriented behaviors. Crucially, executive control processes are also relevant in demanding cognitive tasks such as prospective memory since, similarly to cognitive reappraisal, they involve effortful and purpose driven efforts. However, cognitive reappraisal has thus far not been investigated regarding prospective memory performance despite findings that suggest that emotionally evocative stimuli improve prospective memory performance. The present study investigated whether cognitive reappraisal state and trait measures as well as other types of emotion regulation strategies are associated with prospective memory accuracy of negatively valenced prospective memory targets.Participants and Methods:A total of 45 participants (69% women; M = 22.62 years, SD = 5.69 years) took part in this cross-sectional study. Cognitive reappraisal and prospective memory tasks were administered on the computer. A total of 106 pictures were shown in the prospective memory task, including 12 prospective memory hits. A 2-back paradigm was used as the effortful ongoing task. Dependent measures included accuracy of and reaction times to negative prospective memory hits. A total of 45 pictures were shown in the cognitive reappraisal task. Participants were asked to decrease their negative emotions when looking at previously normed negatively valenced pictures versus merely looking at them (Lang et al., 2001). Dependent measures in the cognitive reappraisal task included success of downregulating negative emotion after the DECREASE versus LOOK instruction. A mood manipulation check and a questionnaire asking about participants' reappraisal strategies was conducted. Trait based measures of emotion regulation included the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Dysfunction of Emotion Regulation Scale.Results:Participants endorsed significantly higher negative mood after looking at negative versus neutral pictures, t(48) = 22.77, p , .05). Ratings further indicated that participants were able to significantly decrease how negative they felt when reappraising versus looking at negative pictures, t(44) = 12.82, p , .05. Regarding the relationship between prospective memory accuracy of negatively valanced prospective memory targets and cognitive reappraisal ability, no significant bivariate correlation was found (p &gt; .05). However, a significant bivariate correlation was found between reaction times to negatively valenced prospective memory targets and cognitive reappraisal ability (rs = -.32, p = .03). No significant relationship was observed between prospective memory accuracy of or reaction times to negatively valenced prospective memory targets and trait based measures of emotion regulation (all ps &gt; .05).Conclusions:Hypotheses were partly supported. Higher state-based cognitive reappraisal abilities may be associated with lower cognitive costs when asked to remember negatively evocative pictures and/or higher overall cognitive capacity. The importance of assessing emotion regulation when utilizing emotionally evocative stimuli and their clinical significant is discussed.

Sleep Deprivation Impairs Human Cognitive Reappraisal Ability: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aims to examine the impact of sleep deprivation on individual cognitive reappraisal ability using a standardized behavioral paradigm. A randomizedpretest-posttest control group design was conducted. Thirty-nine participants were eventually enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either the sleep control (SC: n = 17) or the sleep deprivation (SD: n = 22). Both of them were required to perform a standardized behavioral paradigm of measuring cognitive reappraisal ability one time under sleep-rested condition and another time under the condition of different sleep manipulation a week later. Mean valence ratings of SD group were more negative than SC group's (p < 0.05) and mean arousal ratings of SD group were higher than SC group's (p < 0.01). Sleep deprivation may impair individual cognitive reappraisal ability and could potentially undermine the efficacy of cognitive therapy in terms of emotion regulation.

Reappraisal and health: How habitual reappraisal and reappraisal ability interact to protect against life stress in young adults.

Inadequate emotion regulation may underlie the development of psychopathology as well as worsened physical health, particularly in the context of life stress. Cognitive reappraisal is typically considered an adaptive strategy to manage negative emotions. However, the extent to which reappraisal is beneficial may hinge upon contextual and individual differences. Specifically, it is unclear whether and how the ability to reappraise effectively (i.e., reappraisal ability) and exposure to stressful life events moderate the association between habitual reappraisal and health. Using a series of questionnaires and an experimental task designed to measure the ability to effectively down-regulate sad emotions using reappraisal, the present study examined the interactive effects of habitual reappraisal, reappraisal ability, and exposure to stressful life events on depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as self-reported physical health in 400 young adults (62.5% women; mean age = 19.8 ± 2.5). Results indicated that habitual reappraisal may protect against elevated depressive symptoms and worsened self-reported physical health for people exposed to more stressful life events. Moreover, reappraising often appeared to be particularly beneficial for those who were less effective in their attempts. Results for anxiety symptoms were not significant, although habitual reappraisal remained significantly associated with anxiety symptoms as a lower-order term. These findings provide novel contributions to the field of emotion regulation and health by clarifying that exposure to stressful life events is a key moderator in the association between reappraisal and some areas of health and by elucidating the important roles of both habitual reappraisal and reappraisal ability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Serotonin and emotion regulation: the impact of tryptophan depletion on emotional experience, neural and autonomic activity.

The involvement of serotonin in emotion and psychopathology has been extensively examined. Studies using acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) have found limited effects on mood and aggression, and one of the explanations suggests that serotonin may be involved in higher-order functions, such as emotion regulation. However, there is very limited evidence for this hypothesis. The present study investigated the impact of ATD on emotion regulation in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. A sample of psychiatrically healthy men (N = 28) completed a cognitive task assessing reappraisal ability (i.e., the success of using reappraisal, an emotion regulation strategy, to modulate emotional responses), following ATD and placebo. EEG frontal activity and asymmetry, as well as heart-rate variability (HRV), also were assessed in the reappraisal task. Both frequentist and Bayesian methods were employed for statistical analysis. Results indicated that ATD reduced plasma tryptophan, and reappraisal was effective in modulating emotional experience in the emotion regulation task. However, ATD had no significant effect on reappraisal ability, frontal activity, and HRV. These results offer direct and compelling evidence that decreasing serotonin synthesis through ATD does not alter an emotion regulation ability that is considered crucial in mood and aggression and has been linked with transdiagnostic risk of psychopathology.

“INTEGRO INTEGRated Psychotherapeutic InterventiOn” on the Management of Chronic Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia: The Role of the Therapeutic Relationship

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disease characterized by a heterogeneous set of physical and psychological conditions. The chronic experience of disability felt by patients and the impact on quality of life (QoL) of the disease may worsen the cognitive reappraisal ability and contribute to maintaining an altered pain modulation mechanism. This paper presents the study protocol of an INTEGRated psychotherapeutic interventiOn on the management of chronic pain in patients with fibromyalgia (INTEGRO). The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy of an integrated psychotherapeutic intervention focused on pain management on QoL and pain perception, in a pilot sample of 45 FM patients with idiopathic chronic pain. The contribution of perceived therapeutic relationship (alliance) and physiological attunement, in both the patient and therapist, will be considered as possible mediators of intervention efficacy. Attachment dimensions, traumatic experiences, difficulties in emotion regulation, mindfulness attitude and psychophysiological profile will also be considered as covariates. The objectives are to evaluate longitudinally if patients will experience an increase in QoL perception (primary endpoint), pain-managing self-efficacy and emotion-regulation abilities as well as a reduction in pain intensity (secondary endpoints), considering the mediating role of perceived therapeutic alliance and physiological attunement in both the patient and therapist.

Neuromodulatory effects of transcranial electrical stimulation on emotion regulation in internalizing psychopathologies

ObjectiveWe hypothesize offset theta-tACS (transcranial alternating current stimulation) improves emotion regulation (ER) and psychopathology more than transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in participants with internalizing psychopathologies (IPs). MethodsThis pilot study utilized a double-blind, pseudo-counterbalanced, sham-controlled design with participants with IPs. Participants were assigned to receive tDCS or tACS, underwent four stimulation sessions (two sham), and completed an emotion regulation task (ERT) during or after stimulation. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory before/after the study, the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Index after each ERT, and rated their arousal, valence, and perceived reappraisal ability during the ERT. ResultsParticipants receiving either stimulation type showed a reduction in anxiety, depression, and valence and arousal ratings. We additionally discovered an effect demonstrating those who received sham stimulation first displayed little-to-no change in any score across the study, but tACS participants who received verum stimulation first showed significant improvements in each metric. ConclusionsImproving ER capabilities via theta tACS has the potential to yield beneficial clinical effects. SignificanceThis study adds validity to the use of non-invasive neuromodulatory methods, especially tACS, to alleviate IPs. Additional research is needed to better understand the effects of sham stimulation. Careful consideration of sham incorporation should be made in future studies.

Fitness Dance Counteracts Female Ph.D. Candidates' Stress by Affecting Emotion Regulation.

Background: The impact of stress on the nation's physical and mental health is considerable. Exercise is considered to have beneficial effects on mental health and the capacity for coping with stress. The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of fitness dance intervention on female Ph.D. candidates' stress, and compare it with the intervention effects of MBSR. Method: A repeated measurement experimental design was used to evaluate the effects of fitness dance and MBSR on Chinese female Ph.D. candidates' stress. Results: Twelve weeks of fitness dance and MBSR can reduce participants' stress from severe to moderate. Eight weeks of fitness dance can reduce the tension from perceived stress (p = 0.019) and loss of control from perceived stress (p = 0.043). Twelve weeks of fitness dance can reduce the tension from perceived stress (p &lt; 0.000), loss of control from perceived stress (p = 0.002) and perceived stress (p = 0.001). Fitness dance and MBSR affect emotion regulation, thereby affecting stress. Fitness dance reduced participants' stress by improving their cognitive reappraisal ability. MBSR reduced participants' stress by improving their cognitive reappraisal ability and expression suppression ability. Conclusions: Fitness dance, as a method of exercise intervention, is suitable for reducing Chinese female Ph.D. candidates' stress.

Child emotion inhibition mediates the effect of parent's adaptive cognitive emotion regulation on child frontal EEG asymmetry during reappraisal.

Cognitive reappraisal is considered an adaptive emotion regulation strategy, but little is known regarding children's ability to effectively implement cognitive reappraisal. Some research indicates that parenting contributes to child cognitive reappraisal ability, with parent's own adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies playing a role. Minimal research attempts to examine how child and parenting factors work together to affect child cognitive reappraisal. We examined this association through mediation analyses to determine whether child emotion coping and emotion inhibition would mediate the relation between parent's adaptive cognitive emotion regulation and children's cognitive reappraisal implementation. Children were instructed to implement cognitive reappraisal during a sad film, while electroencephalogram (EEG) was collected. Left frontal EEG asymmetry was conceptualized as effective cognitive reappraisal implementation. Our model supported full mediation for child emotion inhibition. Parent's adaptive cognitive emotion regulation was positively associated with children's emotion inhibition, which was then positively linked to children's left frontal EEG asymmetry during cognitive reappraisal. The model with child emotion coping as a mediator was not supported. Our findings highlight the importance of examining multiple pathways that may impact children's adaptive cognitive reappraisal ability.

Affective flexibility as a developmental building block of cognitive reappraisal: An fMRI study

Cognitive reappraisal is a form of emotion regulation that involves reinterpreting the meaning of a stimulus, often to downregulate one’s negative affect. Reappraisal typically recruits distributed regions of prefrontal and parietal cortex to generate new appraisals and downregulate the emotional response in the amygdala. In the current study, we compared reappraisal ability in an fMRI task with affective flexibility in a sample of children and adolescents (ages 6–17, N = 76). Affective flexibility was defined as variability in valence interpretations of ambiguous (surprised) facial expressions from a second behavioral task. Results demonstrated that age and affective flexibility predicted reappraisal ability, with an interaction indicating that flexibility in children (but not adolescents) supports reappraisal success. Using a region of interest-based analysis of participants’ BOLD time courses, we also found dissociable reappraisal-related brain mechanisms that support reappraisal success and affective flexibility. Specifically, late increases in middle prefrontal cortex activity supported reappraisal success and late decreases in amygdala activity supported flexibility. Together, these results suggest that our novel measure of affective flexibility – the ability to see multiple interpretations of an ambiguous emotional cue – may represent part of the developmental building blocks of cognitive reappraisal ability.

Supplemental Material for Reappraisal and Health: How Habitual Reappraisal and Reappraisal Ability Interact to Protect Against Life Stress in Young Adults

Supplemental Material for Reappraisal and Health: How Habitual Reappraisal and Reappraisal Ability Interact to Protect Against Life Stress in Young Adults

The mediating role of positive reappraisal and self-compassion on the relationship between mindfulness and posttraumatic growth in patients with cancer

The beneficial effect of mindfulness in promoting posttraumatic growth has been well established in research, but it remains unclear what psychological mechanisms mediate it. This study examined the mediating roles of positive reappraisal and self-compassion on the relationship between mindfulness and posttraumatic growth in patients with cancer. A random sample of 550 patients drawn from two medical health care institutions in southeast, Nigeria participated in this study. Results of mediation analysis showed that positive reappraisal and self-compassion independently mediated the relationship between mindfulness and posttraumatic growth. These findings underscore the usefulness of mindfulness-based therapies in promoting cognitive emotional processes such as positive reappraisal abilities and self-compassion, which are essential in facilitating posttraumatic growth in patients with cancer.