Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Regulation of Positive Affect

The Moderating Effects of Stressor Intensity and Perceived Controllability

Bibliographic Data

ID21704014
AuthorsTracy K Y Wong (0000-0002-0698-7817, Chinese University of Hong Kong, corresponding author), Kedi Zhao (0000-0003-4847-673X), Kai Zhao (0000-0002-2394-486X, University of Regina)
Year2026
Volume27
Issue1
Publication date2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Happiness Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1389-4978 • E-ISSN: 1573-7780
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10902-025-00991-4
OpenAlexW4417415242
LanguageEN
References cited83

The association between positive affect regulation and well-being has often been examined at the intrapersonal level, but positive affect regulation may also occur at the interpersonal level and be shaped by contextual factors. Thus, positive affect regulation strategies, including savoring and dampening, were examined in relation to well-being (i.e. positive affect and life satisfaction) at the intra- and inter-personal levels, while also considering the moderating effects of stressor intensity and perceived controllability. Participants included 281 emerging adults ( M age = 21.29; 71% female-identifying), who responded to a 14-day daily diary. Multilevel analyses indicated that individuals reported lower well-being on days when they engaged more in dampening, but greater well-being on days when they engaged more in emotion-focused and self-focused positive rumination. Co-savoring was also positively associated with well-being, but co-dampening was not. Perceived controllability, but not stressor intensity, moderated the associations of dampening, self-focused positive rumination, and co-savoring with life satisfaction. These findings suggest that regulating positive affect independently and with social others has implications for well-being, and that contextual factors also matter

Interpersonal communication · Interpersonal relationship · Intrapersonal communication · Multilevel model · Quality of Life Research · Stressor · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Mental Health Research Topics · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

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