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Poster #208 - Linking Emotion Mindsets and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: The Role of Emotion Regulation and Dysregulation

Thu, March 21, 12:30 to 1:45pm, Baltimore Convention Center, Floor: Level 1, Exhibit Hall B

Integrative Statement

Recent theories posit that emotion malleability beliefs (i.e., growth vs fixed emotion mindsets) not only play a crucial role in how emotions are experienced but also influence emotion regulation (ER) processes. Specifically, those with a fixed emotion mindset (FEM; beliefs that emotions are unchangeable) may find emotions to be more challenging or overwhelming, making them more likely to show emotion dysregulation and less likely to engage in proactive ER strategies, heightening risk for depressive symptoms. This process is of specific interest in adolescence, a period when beliefs about emotion develop and first episodes of depression frequently occur. However, little is known about how individual differences in emotion malleability beliefs may influence regulation processes, and consequently, clinical outcomes in adolescents. Drawing from mindset theory, this study examined the hypothesis that FEM would predict depressive symptoms via less adaptive ER and elevated emotion dysregulation.
We developed a new measure to assess FEMs specifically in adolescents. We also assessed multiple dimensions of ER and depressive symptoms in 422 late adolescents (M age=18.52, SD=.64) and in 100 mid-adolescents (M age=16.1 SD =1.16). Using the late adolescent sample, we created three composites of ER based on an exploratory factor analysis of the following measures: Response to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and Ruminative Response Scale. The resulting dimensions included voluntary engagement (e.g., cognitive reappraisal), voluntary disengagement (e.g., emotional suppression), and emotion dysregulation (e.g., rumination). As predicted, FEMs were significantly associated with less voluntary engagement and more voluntary disengagement and emotion dysregulation in late adolescents. When all ER dimensions were entered in one model (see Figure 1), significant indirect effects of FEM on depressive symptoms were found for each composite (voluntary engagement: b=.015, SE=.008, CI95=[.004, .035], voluntary disengagement: b=.023, SE=.011, CI95=[.006, .049], emotion dysregulation: b=.167, SE=.028, CI95=[.115, .224]). In mid-adolescents, we used subscales of the RSQ and a newly developed Youth Emotion Regulation and Dysregulation scale to create comparable ER composites. FEMs were again significantly associated with less voluntary engagement and more voluntary disengagement and emotion dysregulation. When all ER dimensions were entered in one model (see Figure 2), significant indirect effects of FEM on depressive symptoms were found for voluntary disengagement (b=.031, SE=.018, CI95=[.006, .077]) and emotion dysregulation (b=.133, SE=.036, CI95=[.074, .213]), but not voluntary engagement (b=.008 SE=.010 CI95=[-.006, .035]).
Taken together, these results support the notion that youth with higher FEMs not only have higher levels of depressive symptoms but that lower levels of proactive ER strategies and higher levels of emotion dysregulation account for this association. Future longitudinal work investigating this model could provide an understanding of both the temporal nature of these linkages and potential developmental differences. Given increasing levels of depression during adolescence, understanding the various pathways that put youth at emotional risk provides prevention and intervention opportunities. Ultimately, emotion mindsets appear to have important implications for psychological health and may be a viable target for efforts to improve clinical outcomes among these age groups.

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