Implicit theories of emotion and mental health during adolescence

The mediating role of emotion regulation

Bibliographic Data

ID21504805
AuthorsKalee De France (0000-0001-7987-7099, Concordia University, corresponding author), Tom Hollenstein (0000-0003-1888-3086, Queen's University)
Year2021
Volume35
Issue2
Pages367-374
Publication date2021-02-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCognition & Emotion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0269-9931 • E-ISSN: 1464-0600
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02699931.2020.1817727
PMID32893732
OpenAlexW3083722664
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited25

Despite strong evidence of the influence of implicit theories of emotion (ITE) on mental health symptoms among adult samples, scant attention has been paid to this important relation during adolescence. Moreover, it remains unclear which proximal processes may help to explain the link between ITE and mental health. As such, the current study had two objectives: (1) to assess the association of ITE and later anxiety and depressive symptoms within an adolescent sample, and (2) evaluate the mediating role of real-world emotion regulation strategies on the association between ITE and mental health. A sample of 13–15-year-old adolescents (n = 183, mean age = 13.9, SD = 0.91, 50% female) completed a measure of ITE (Time 1), and subsequently reported on their emotion regulation strategy use via an ESM smart-phone app for two weeks (Time 2). Youth then reported on their anxiety and depressive symptoms six months later (Time 3). Mediational analyses revealed that the proportion to which adolescents used reappraisal and suppression mediated the association between ITE and depressive symptoms: higher levels of incremental theories of emotion were associated with more reappraisal, and less suppression, use, which in turn predicted fewer depressive symptoms six months later. None of the strategies measured, however, mediated the association between ITE and anxiety symptoms

Anxiety · Cognition · Cognitive reappraisal · Depressive symptoms · Developmental psychology · Expressive Suppression · Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Early Childhood Education and Development · Psychology

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