Individuals with higher trait self-esteem prefer to use reappraisal, but not suppression: Evidence from functional connectivity analyses

Abstract

Individual differences in the regulation of emotion are associated with trait self-esteem (TSE). However, how TSE is linked with emotion regulation at the neural level is still poorly understood. Accordingly, we adopted the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) analysis to identify the neural bases linking TSE with emotion regulation. 234 young adults (44.9% females, Mage = 21.36) were guided to undergo the MRI scans and then complete the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire formed by two dimensions: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Results found that TSE mediated the relationships between the precuneus functional connectivity and different emotion regulation strategies. Specifically, rsFC analysis showed that TSE was positively correlated with rsFC, including right precuneus (rPrcu)-left superior frontal gyrus (lSFG) and left precuneus cortex (lPrcu)-left superior temporal gyrus (lSTG). Further mediation analysis indicated a mediated role of TSE in the link between the two connectivity and cognitive reappraisal. In addition, TSE was positively correlated with rsFC rPrcu-right lateral occipital cortex (rLOC). Further mediation analysis indicated a mediated role of TSE in the link between rPrcu-rLOC and expressive suppression. Overall, we reveal the neurofunctional correlates why people with higher TSE prefer to use cognitive reappraisal rather than expressive suppression.