Using temporal distancing to regulate emotion in adolescence: modulation by reactive aggression

Abstract

Adopting a temporally distant perspective on stressors reduces distress in adults. Here we investigate whether the extent to which individuals project themselves into the future influences distancing efficacy. We also examined modulating effects of age across adolescence and reactive aggression: factors associated with reduced future-thinking and poor emotion regulation. Participants (N = 83, aged 12-22) read scenarios and rated negative affect when adopting a distant-future perspective, near-future perspective, or when reacting naturally. Self-report data revealed significant downregulation of negative affect during the distant-future condition, with a similar though non-significant skin conductance pattern. Importantly, participants who projected further ahead showed the greatest distress reductions. While temporal distancing efficacy did not vary with age, participants reporting greater reactive aggression showed reduced distancing efficacy, and projected themselves less far into the future. Findings demonstrate the importance of temporal extent in effective temporal distancing; shedding light on a potential mechanism for poor emotional control associated with reactive aggression.

Reliability and validity of a temporal distancing emotion regulation task in adolescence.

“…This study confirmed that temporal distancing can be an effective emotion regulation strategy when presented with hypothetical but age-appropriate and moderately distressing scenarios. In addition, adopting a distant-future perspective was more effective at alleviating distress than adopting a near-future perspective, in line with Ahmed et al (2018) and Bruehlman-Senecal and Ayduk (2015). This finding suggests that temporal extent is a key factor in temporal distancing efficacy as opposed to more general cognitive processes associated with imagining any future time point (although we acknowledge that the present study is unable to elucidate the precise mechanism by which distance exerts its salutary effects).…”

“…Third, response options were nine schematic faces ranging from frowning to smiling, rather than numbers. Finally, we asked participants to rate distance in time adopted for the distantfuture condition only once at the end of the experiment, while Ahmed et al (2018) asked this question after every distant-future and near-future trial. These changes were necessary to reduce the length of the experimental session and maintain engagement of younger participants.…”

“…Reflecting on how one will feel "in the future" about a present real-world stressor reduces current negative affect (Bruehlman-Senecal & Ayduk, 2015), and greater habitual use of temporal distancing predicts fewer concurrent mental health symptoms above and beyond that predicted by broader reappraisal tendencies (Bruehlman-Senecal, Ayduk, & John, 2016). Ahmed et al (2018) tested 12-to 22-year-olds in how successfully they could employ a temporal distancing strategy and did not find that age was related to "success" in downregulating emotion. Rather, temporal distancing success was high and stable across the age range, and the magnitude of distance adopted did not vary with age.…”

Restoring meaning in life by meaning‐focused coping: The role of self‐distancing

“…A distant perspective can be achieved in multiple ways. For example, one can envision the event through the eyes of a spatially distanced self (i.e., “spatial distancing”; Ayduk & Kross, ; Kross, Gard, Deldin, Clifton, & Ayduk, ; White, Kross, & Duckworth, ) or through the eyes of a future self (i.e., “temporal distancing”; Ahmed, Somerville, & Sebastian, ; Bruehlman‐Senecal & Ayduk, ; Bruehlman‐Senecal et al, ).…”

Revisiting the past and back to the future: Horizons of cognition and emotion research

“…The journal has always operated at the crossroads of multiple disciplines, and this remains true in the present day and age. Indeed, a mere glance at the ten most down-loaded articles during 2018 features articles from developmental psychology (Ahmed, Somerville, & Sebastian, 2018;Kret, 2018;Lennarz, Lichtwarck-Aschoff, Timmerman, & Granic, 2018), social psychology (Hopkins et al, 2016;van Osch, Zeelenberg, & Breugelmans, 2018), and clinical psychology (Slofstra et al, 2018). In addition, there were trans-disciplinary articles on embodiment of emotion (Bernstein & McNally, 2017;Veenstra, Schneider, & Koole, 2017) and our brief review of the history of Cognition & Emotion (Rothermund & Koole, 2018).…”