What develops during emotional development? A component process approach to identifying sources of psychopathology risk in adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence is a phase of the lifespan associated with widespread changes in emotional behavior thought to reflect both changing environments and stressors, and psychological and neurobiological development. However, emotions themselves are complex phenomena that are composed of multiple subprocesses. In this paper, we argue that examining emotional development from a process-level perspective facilitates important insights into the mechanisms that underlie adolescents' shifting emotions and intensified risk for psychopathology. Contrasting the developmental progressions for the antecedents to emotion, physiological reactivity to emotion, emotional regulation capacity, and motivation to experience particular affective states reveals complex trajectories that intersect in a unique way during adolescence. We consider the implications of these intersecting trajectories for negative outcomes such as psychopathology, as well as positive outcomes for adolescent social bonds.

High-school students and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours: clues of emotion dysregulation

“…Adolescence is a phase of the lifespan associated with changes across widespread biological and psychological domains, including physical, social, cognitive, and emotional. In essence, it encompasses the numerous developmental changes and foundational learning experiences that should characterise the transition from childhood to the attainment of adulthood [ 1 ]. Developmental changes during adolescence include structural and functional changes in the brain, particularly in neural systems involved in cognitive, emotional, social and motivation processes.…”

“…Developmental changes during adolescence include structural and functional changes in the brain, particularly in neural systems involved in cognitive, emotional, social and motivation processes. Consequences are behavioural changes, such as increases in sensation-seeking, and a re-orientation of attention and motivation, towards peers, social evaluation, status and prestige, and sexual and romantic interests [ 1 , 2 ].…”

“…Typical elevations in emotional and physiological reactivity and greater emotional lability occur in a period of particular exposure to stressors, like changing social dynamics, higher levels of conflict with parents and disappointments and frustrations in achievement-related domains [ 3 ]. The confluence of increased exposure and perception of emotional antecedents and the elevated subjective and physiological responses to those antecedents may overwhelm the ability to regulate emotional responses effectively [ 1 ].…”

“…Developmental variations in the use of emotion regulation strategies may contribute to increase vulnerability to psychopathology [ 1 ]. The hypothesis that some adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to emotional dysregulation is suggested by the evidence that adolescence is associated with an increased incidence of both internalising and externalising symptoms [ 4 ].…”

“…The hypothesis that some adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to emotional dysregulation is suggested by the evidence that adolescence is associated with an increased incidence of both internalising and externalising symptoms [ 4 ]. Indeed, adolescence is characterised by a particularly high risk for the onset of many common forms of psychopathology (including major depression, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and some anxiety disorders) and the median age of onset for many mental disorders falls in the period of adolescence [ 1 ].…”