Being with others and feeling happy: Emotional expressivity in everyday life

The Association Between Emotional Expressions and Empathic Accuracy

Empathic accuracy, the ability to accurately represent and understand another's emotional state, is integral to socio-emotional functioning. It is also inherently an interpersonal process that requires active engagement of the emotional systems of both interaction partners. The emotional expressivity of the partner sharing their emotions restricts empathic accuracy and the perceiver's emotional expressivity might also affect empathic accuracy as they behaviorally simulate and thus share the emotions they see in the other's face. We explored a potential role of emotional expressivity in people's ability to understand another's emotions in a face-to-face dyadic interaction. Participants took turns sharing emotional experiences while their facial expressions were recorded. They then watched the recordings while continuously rating their own and their partner's affect at any given point during the recording. Empathic accuracy was indexed as the epoch by-epoch emotion change detection. We found that emotional expressivity of the listener, but not of the partner, was associated with increased empathic accuracy, even when controlling for partner's expressivity. Our findings highlight the active role the person empathizing takes in face-to-face emotional sharing.

Movement through motherhood: Exploring mood, wellbeing, and prenatal emotional availability (EA) through EA-based dance intervention

Emotional availability (EA) is a construct that describes the observed emotional connection in parent-child relationships. During pregnancy, EA is assessed only using caregiver sensitivity and nonhostility. We used the nonverbal aspects of these qualities to create a new dance/movement intervention ("EA-Based Dance Intervention"). Given the scarcity of pregnancy interventions, we provided training to participants on how to be emotionally engaged with their unborn babies through dance/movement. The EA-Based Dance Intervention alone comprised the first intervention arm (n = 12). A second intervention arm involved the combination of EA-Based Dance Intervention with brief psychoeducation (n = 10). The third arm was a control group, which received only the assessments (n = 7). Measures of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, emotional expressivity, flourishing, and the (newly developed) self-reported prenatal EA were used at pre- and posttest. The measure of observed prenatal EA was used to compare intervention versus control at posttest only. In this pilot study, we found that participants receiving the EA-Based Dance Intervention alone or combined with psychoeducation, self-reported improved anxiety symptoms and self-reported higher prenatal EA. When compared with the control group, those experiencing EA-Based Dance Intervention reported fewer depressive symptoms from pre- to posttest.

Emotional dysregulation, alexithymia and neuroticism: a systematic review on the genetic basis of a subset of psychological traits

Neuroticism, alexithymia and emotion dysregulation are key traits and known risk factors for several psychiatric conditions. In this systematic review, the aim is to evaluate the genetic contribution to these psychological phenotypes. A systematic review of articles found in PubMed was conducted. Search terms included 'genetic', 'GWAS', 'neuroticism', 'alexithymia' and 'emotion dysregulation'. Risk of bias was assessed utilizing the STREGA checklist. Two hundred two papers were selected from existing literature based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among these, 27 were genome-wide studies and 175 were genetic association studies. Single gene association studies focused on selected groups of genes, mostly involved in neurotransmission, with conflicting results. GWAS studies on neuroticism, on the other hand, found several relevant and replicated intergenic and intronic loci affecting the expression and regulation of crucial and well-known genes (such as DRD2 and CRHR1). Mutations in genes coding for trascriptional factors were also found to be associated with neuroticism (DCC, XKR6, TCF4, RBFOX1), as well as a noncoding regulatory RNA (LINC00461). On the other hand, little GWAS data are available on alexythima and emotional dysregulation.

Cognitive and Emotional Processes and Life Satisfaction of Korean Adults With Childhood Abuse Experience According to the Level of Emotional Expressiveness

This study evaluates a hypothesized model describing the cognitive and emotional processes of childhood abuse and its influence on life satisfaction and explores the moderating effect of emotional expressivity in Korean young adults. The mediating roles of early maladaptive schema and state anxiety are explored, and the level of life satisfaction is compared according to the emotional expressivity level. A total of 550 young adults completed self-reported questionnaires, including Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-SF), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and Emotional Expressivity Scale (EES). The mediating roles of early maladaptive schema and state anxiety between childhood abuse and life satisfaction are confirmed. In the low emotional expressivity group, the double-mediation effect of early maladaptive schema and state anxiety is confirmed, whereas for the high emotional expressivity group, the mediating roles of each early maladaptive schema and state anxiety are confirmed, as well as the double-mediation effect. Moreover, the high emotional expressivity group showed higher life satisfaction. The study results imply that even though expressing emotions does not result in immediate mood elevation, but eventually leads to higher life satisfaction. The implications, limitations, and suggestions are discussed.

Validity of the Self-Expression and Emotion Regulation in Art Therapy Scale (SERATS)

Background

The Self-Expression Emotion Regulation in Art Therapy Scale (SERATS) was developed as art therapy lacked outcome measures that could be used to monitor the specific effects of art therapy. Although the SERATS showed good psychometric properties in earlier studies, it lacked convergent validity and thus construct validity.

Method

To test the convergent validity of the SERATS correlation was examined with the EES (Emotional Expressivity Scale), Emotion Regulation Strategies for Artistic Creative Activities Scale (ERS-ACA) and Healthy-Unhealthy Music Scale (HUMS). Patients diagnosed with a Personality Disorder, and thus having self-regulation and emotion regulation problems (n = 179) and a healthy student population (n = 53) completed the questionnaires (N = 232).

Results

The SERATS showed a high reliability and convergent validity in relation to the ERS-ACA approach strategies and self-development strategies in both patients and students and the HUMS healthy scale, in patients. Hence, what the SERATS measures is highly associated with emotion regulation strategies like acceptance, reappraisal, discharge and problem solving and with improving a sense of self including self-identity, increased self-esteem and improved agency as well as the healthy side of art making. Respondents rated the SERATS as relatively easy to complete compared to the other questionnaires.

Conclusion

The SERATS is a valid, useful and user-friendly tool for monitoring the effect of art therapy that is indicative of making art in a healthy way that serves positive emotion regulation and self-development.

Brief Report: Sex/Gender Differences in Symptomology and Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more prevalent in males than females. Previous research indicates females camouflage ASD symptoms more than males, potentially contributing to the difference in prevalence. This study investigated sex/gender differences in behavioral phenotypes in 17 males and 11 females with ASD, as well camouflaging in ASD, in an attempt to partially replicate findings from Lai et al. (Autism 21(6):690-702, 2017). Overall ASD symptoms were measured by the autism spectrum quotient (AQ). Mean AQ in females with ASD was higher than males with ASD, with the difference approaching statistical significance. Camouflaging was found to be more common in females with ASD, and not associated to social phobia. Furthermore, camouflaging correlated negatively with emotional expressivity in females, but not males, with ASD. These findings strengthen previous findings regarding camouflaging being more common in females and add to the literature on how camouflaging may be different in females versus males.

Longitudinal Relations between Emotion Restraint Values, Life Stress, and Internalizing Symptoms among Vietnamese American and European American Adolescents

Objective: Recent research has documented cultural differences in the extent and manner in which various forms of emotion regulation are linked with psychological well-being. Most of these studies, however, have been cross-sectional, nor have they directly examined the values underlying the use of emotion regulation. The present study examined emotion restraint values and their interactions with life stress in predicting internalizing symptoms across time among Vietnamese American and European American adolescents. The study focused on adolescence as a critical developmental period during which life stress and internalizing symptoms increase significantly. Method: Vietnamese American (n = 372) and European American (n = 304) adolescents' levels of emotion restraint values, internalizing symptoms, and stress were assessed at two timepoints six months apart. Results: Results indicated differential associations between emotion restraint values, stress, and symptoms over time for the two groups. For Vietnamese American adolescents, emotion restraint values did not predict depressive, anxiety, or somatic symptoms. For European American adolescents, emotion restraint values predicted higher somatic symptoms but buffered against the effects of interpersonal stress on anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These results provide increased understanding of the role of values related to emotion restraint in shaping adolescent internalizing symptoms and responses to stress across cultural groups. Implications of the findings for guiding intervention efforts are discussed.

Acculturation matters in the relation between ambivalence over emotional expressions and well-being among Chinese American breast cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) is the inner conflict of desiring emotion expression and fearing consequence of emotion expression. Few studies to date have examined the effects of AEE within an ethnic group that prioritizes emotional self-control. The present study examined the associations between AEE and well-being (viz., quality of life and depressive symptoms) as a function of acculturation among a sample of Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

METHODS

Ninety-six Chinese breast cancer survivors (M _age = 54.64 years old, SD = 7.98) were recruited from Southern California. Participants filled out a paper-pen questionnaire containing the Ambivalence over Emotional Expression Questionnaire (AEQ), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form (CESD-10).

RESULTS

Acculturation was a statistically significant moderator of the relations between AEE and depressive symptoms, and a statistically marginally significant moderator of the relations between AEE and quality of life. Simple slopes revealed that AEE was negatively associated with quality of life (B = -.45, p < .001) and depressive symptoms (B = .20, p < .001) for women with high acculturation, but not associated for women with low acculturation (Bs = -.15 and .04, ps > .05, for quality of life and depressive symptoms, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that less acculturated Chinese breast cancer survivors are protected by Chinese cultural values of emotional self-control and restraint, and thus do not experience the detrimental effects of AEE on their depressive symptoms and quality of life. Implications are discussed.

Reliability and validity of a self-report emotional expressivity measure: The Japanese version of the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire

AIM

This study developed the Japanese version of the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire (BEQ), a self-report measure of three emotional expressivity facets, and provided evidence of its reliability and validity.

METHODS

Five hundred and four students answered an online survey. To determine test-retest reliability, 241 of the participants completed the Japanese version of the BEQ again approximately 1 month after initial surveying was completed.

RESULTS

Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.83 for the BEQ full scale, and 0.61-0.77 for subscales. Test-retest correlations were 0.61 for the full scale, and 0.57-0.61 for subscales. Construct validity was demonstrated by correlations between BEQ scores and scores on measures of emotional expressivity, self-monitoring, self-esteem, depression, "Big Five" (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) personality traits, and emotional control.

CONCLUSION

The Japanese version of the BEQ has adequate internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity. Test-retest reliability was lower than that of the original scale. This study was the first in Japan to develop a self-rating questionnaire assessing multiple facets of emotional expressivity.

Importance of alcohol-related expectations and emotional expressivity for prediction of motivation to refuse alcohol in alcohol-dependent patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of alcohol-dependent patients' emotional expressivity, alcohol-related expectations and socio-demographic factors for prediction of motivation to refuse alcohol consumption.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study sample consisted of 136 alcohol-dependent patients (100 men and 36 women) undergoing treatment in Kaunas center for addictive disorders.

RESULTS

Only higher expression of negative alcohol-related expectations (std. beta=0.192, P=0.023), higher emotional impulse intensity (std. beta=0.229, P=0.021) and higher expression of positive emotional expressiveness (std. beta=0.021, P=0.020) as well as gender (std. beta=0.180, P=0.049), education (std. beta=-0.137, P=0.038) and alcohol dependency treatment conditions (members of support group after rehabilitation program) (std. beta=0.288, P=0.001; std. beta=0.608, P=0.001) were significant factors for predicting the different level of alcohol-dependent patients motivation to refuse alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative alcohol-related expectations, emotional impulse intensity and positive emotional expressiveness were significant even though quite weak triggers for alcohol-dependent patients' different level of motivation to refuse alcohol consumption. An assumption could be made that by changing these triggers it is possible to change addictive behavior.

Planned missing-data designs in experience-sampling research: Monte Carlo simulations of efficient designs for assessing within-person constructs

Experience-sampling research involves trade-offs between the number of questions asked per signal, the number of signals per day, and the number of days. By combining planned missing-data designs and multilevel latent variable modeling, we show how to reduce the items per signal without reducing the number of items. After illustrating different designs using real data, we present two Monte Carlo studies that explored the performance of planned missing-data designs across different within-person and between-person sample sizes and across different patterns of response rates. The missing-data designs yielded unbiased parameter estimates but slightly higher standard errors. With realistic sample sizes, even designs with extensive missingness performed well, so these methods are promising additions to an experience-sampler's toolbox.

More than a face: a unified theoretical perspective on nonverbal social cue processing in social anxiety

Processing of nonverbal social cues (NVSCs) is essential to interpersonal functioning and is particularly relevant to models of social anxiety. This article provides a review of the literature on NVSC processing from the perspective of social rank and affiliation biobehavioral systems (ABSs), based on functional analysis of human sociality. We examine the potential of this framework for integrating cognitive, interpersonal, and evolutionary accounts of social anxiety. We argue that NVSCs are uniquely suited to rapid and effective conveyance of emotional, motivational, and trait information and that various channels are differentially effective in transmitting such information. First, we review studies on perception of NVSCs through face, voice, and body. We begin with studies that utilized information processing or imaging paradigms to assess NVSC perception. This research demonstrated that social anxiety is associated with biased attention to, and interpretation of, emotional facial expressions (EFEs) and emotional prosody. Findings regarding body and posture remain scarce. Next, we review studies on NVSC expression, which pinpointed links between social anxiety and disturbances in eye gaze, facial expressivity, and vocal properties of spontaneous and planned speech. Again, links between social anxiety and posture were understudied. Although cognitive, interpersonal, and evolutionary theories have described different pathways to social anxiety, all three models focus on interrelations among cognition, subjective experience, and social behavior. NVSC processing and production comprise the juncture where these theories intersect. In light of the conceptualizations emerging from the review, we highlight several directions for future research including focus on NVSCs as indexing reactions to changes in belongingness and social rank, the moderating role of gender, and the therapeutic opportunities offered by embodied cognition to treat social anxiety.