 Show Source: AbsolutVision/Pixabay An article published in the June 2021 issue of Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, by Southward and colleagues, explores the most effective emotion regulation strategies, as chosen by 582 therapists in the U.S. Best Emotion Regulation Strategies: InvestigationParticipants were 582 practicing trainees and therapists, with an average age of 42 years; 76 percent were female; 86 percent were Caucasian; they had a median of 4,000 hours of experience. The sample’s primary theoretical orientations consisted of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and non-CBT.
The participating clinicians were presented with 11 vignettes describing common stressful situations their patients may encounter. These included stressors related to interpersonal issues (e.g., fighting with one’s romantic partner; not receiving an invitation to a party), school (e.g., failing an important test), finances (e.g., trying to get a loan), and physical illness (e.g., becoming ill with mononucleosis). The clinicians were tasked with identifying, for patients facing the above stressful situations, the best emotion regulation strategy from the following list: Acceptance (e.g., of emotions or situations), distraction, hiding one’s feelings, expressing one’s emotions, gathering additional information, trying to improve the relationship (e.g., spending quality time together), leaving the unpleasant situation, problem-solving, seeking support and advice, and reappraisal (e.g., viewing oneself or the situation in a less stress-inducing way). Subsequently, the therapists were required to rate the effectiveness of each strategy in helping patients feel better (from zero, meaning not effective at all, to 100, meaning extremely effective). Best Emotion Regulation Strategies: FindingsThe results showed none of the strategies was rated as most effective in all situations. However, some strategies were more likely than others to be rated as effective across different situations. Specifically, therapists, regardless of orientation, agreed that problem-solving was generally the best emotion regulation strategy, whereas concealing emotions was the least effective emotion regulation strategy. See Table 1, for the full ranking of emotion regulation techniques, from most effective to least.
Source: Arash Emamzadeh (adapted from Southward et al., 2021) The findings regarding problem-solving (i.e., it being a highly effective emotion regulation technique) agree with previous research. For instance, a 2010 meta-analysis of emotion regulation strategies found the regular use of problem-solving had the largest negative association (r = − 0.31) with mental illness; in contrast, emotional suppression, which overlaps with the concept of concealing one’s emotions, was positively associated with mental illness (r = 0.34).
Emotion Regulation and Problem-SolvingLet us end with a brief review of problem-solving, which, as noted above, is considered a highly effective emotion regulation strategy for managing stressful situations. Problem-solving is an active and goal-oriented approach to dealing with stress. It involves trying to modify the situation or its consequences (as opposed to modifying the unpleasant emotions experienced in the situation). Problem-solving involves the following:
Let us consider an example. Suppose a friend says, “I feel sad because I rarely get to spend quality time with my teenager.” You can probably identify the problem and the person’s goal from their statement alone. To solve the problem, the individual would need to consider various obstacles to the goal of spending quality time with their teen—obstacles like fatigue, conflicting schedules, or communication issues. Subsequently, they will need to brainstorm solutions (e.g., read a book on communicating with teens, go on a camping trip with their teenager), choose and implement one of these solutions, and evaluate whether the solution worked as expected. In general, is important to be as specific as possible when defining the problem and goal, be creative when brainstorming potential solutions, and be realistic regarding one’s expectations (but remain optimistic if a solution does not work). To become a great problem-solver and to cope successfully with different situations, use problem-solving techniques regularly and develop a problem-solving mindset. So try to become more curious. Make friends with uncertainty (that is where possibilities and opportunities exist). And do not give up.
First and foremost, what is emotional regulation? Psychologist James Gross defines emotional regulation as: “process by which individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express their feelings. Emotional regulation can be automatic or controlled, conscious or unconscious, and may have effects at one or more points in the emotion producing process,” (Gross, 1998). Positive Psychology provides us with an excellent example by saying: “For example, a person who has poor emotion regulation strategies is more likely to fall prey to mood polarities; their actions and behavioral patterns would always be at the mercy of their emotions. Quite the contrary, a well-regulated person will have a better balance and judgment of their feelings and actions. Emotional regulation allows us to carefully judge which affective outcomes to embrace and which ones to avoid (Wegner, Erber, & Zanakos, 1993).” If you are poor in emotional regulation, it is something that can be improved. So what are some emotional regulation skills that we can practice to better our emotional responses and reach higher goals? Practicing MindfulnessManhattan Mental Health Counseling says: “The first emotional regulation skill is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a special state of being. It is noticing one’s own present experience. We all tend to speak to ourselves and narrate our lives but we don’t actually listen. It is all very habitual and unconscious.” When we practice mindfulness and mindful breathing for 15-30 minutes a day, we have the ability to pause. To reflect and to take a few minutes to pause and think about why we feel the way we do in that given moment. Focusing on what you are grateful for in a dark moment of time and emotional distress can also have a huge turnaround for emotional regulation. Identify What Is Causing the EmotionWe have all heard of the term “hangry” before and how uncontrollable hunger can make us lose our cool on our loved ones. There are a number of things that can trigger our emotions such as seeing someone unexpected in public, your food order being wrong, it being too hot outside, etc. If you are struggling to pinpoint where the emotion is coming from, you can use this worksheet called “Check the Facts” to see if the event is causing your emotional distress. This is amazing to keep in your journal to carry with you on the go or to fill out on your phone in private. Distract YourselfEddins Counseling provides a great source on ways to distract and self-soothe yourself in times of emotional distress. When you are alone in a time of emotional distress, it is important to have something available to help yourself stay calm. You can make a list of important life events, call a friend, journal, or even make a bucket list. There are endless things to do, and you can even print out the list that they wrote! Practice Skills That Work Best For YouThese emotional regulation skills are only a fraction of what you can do to better your response in everyday life. For some of us, we may not like to write or cannot grasp the concept of meditation; however, there is a skill out there to learn for everyone. You can also check out one of our past articles about stress management activities if stress is causing you to be emotionally overwhelmed. What strategy are you going to try? Let us know! References:Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271-299. |
Which of the following is the best example of emotion regulation
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