Emotion Regulation in Context: Social Connectedness Moderates Concurrent and Prospective Associations With Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Introduction: Emotion regulation in healthy functioning and in depression is typically examined as an intrapersonal phenomenon, but growing evidence suggests social factors affect individuals' strategy use and effectiveness. We examined whether the role of emotion regulation in depression—concurrently and over four weeks—depends on social connectedness, predicting that higher social connectedness would dilute effects of one's own strategy use regardless of specific strategy. Methods: Young adult participants (n = 187) completed measures of perceived social connectedness, depressive symptoms, two avoidant emotion regulation strategies (ruminative brooding and experiential avoidance), and two approach-oriented strategies (positive reappraisal and planning), and depressive symptoms again four weeks later (n = 166). Results: Cross-sectional associations of emotion regulation with symptoms were moderated by social connectedness: effects of both avoidant and approach strategies were weaker among more connected individuals. Prospectively, social connectedness moderated effects of approach strategies, but not avoidant strategies. Among more socially connected individuals, using approach strategies—which are typically adaptive—was associated with higher symptoms over time. Discussion: Results partially replicate previous research and support the role of social factors as important contexts of intraper-sonal emotion regulation and dysregulation in depression. Findings suggest that social resources can dilute intrapersonal effects regardless of strategy type—more in the shorter term than in the longer term—and can even lead seemingly adaptive strategies to backfire over time. Implications for research integrating emotion regulation, relationships, and depressive psychopathology are discussed.

Loneliness and social anxiety in young adults: The moderating and mediating roles of emotion dysregulation, depression and social isolation risk

“…For example, stress can be downregulated by sharing negative news with other people (Lepore et al, 2000), while sharing positive news with people provides an opportunity for more positive events (Gable & Reis, 2010), and therefore more positive emotions and less stress (Lepore et al, 2000). Marroquín et al (2019) showed that social connections may moderate the relationship between emotion dysregulation and depression. Compared to those with fewer social connections, those with more social connections had weaker associations between experiential avoidance (difficulties accessing emotion regulation strategies) and depression scores suggesting that social connections helped buffer against negative impacts of depression.…”