Quantitative versus qualitative emotion regulation goals: Differential effects on emotional responses

Lateral frontopolar theta-band activity supports flexible switching between emotion regulation strategies

Flexible emotion regulation is essential for mental health and well-being. However, neurocognitive mechanisms supporting emotion regulation flexibility remain unclear. Lateral frontal pole (FPl) contributes to flexible behavior by monitoring the efficacy of alternative strategies. This preregistered study examines if FPl also supports flexible use of emotion regulation strategies. It focuses on pre-decision theta-band activity as a potential indicator of this adaptive process. Sixty-three participants performed an emotion regulation strategy-switching task, involving three phases: (1) implementing an instructed (reappraisal or distraction) strategy, (2) deciding whether to 'maintain' the current or 'switch' to the alternative strategy, and (3) implementing the chosen strategy. Results showed that switching is predicted by the reduced efficacy of an initial emotion regulation strategy (indexed with EMG corrugator activity) and is made in accordance with situational demands (stimulus reappraisal affordances). Critically, switching to an alternative emotion regulation strategy is associated with increased theta-band power in FPl around the time of the decision. These findings support the previously established role of FPl theta-band activity in monitoring counterfactual efficacy of alternative strategies. Crucially, they extend this notion to cognitive emotion regulation, thereby offering promising neural targets for stimulation-based therapies aimed at enhancing emotion regulation flexibility in affective psychopathologies.

Toward improved understanding and treatment of self-injurious behaviors in autistic individuals with profound intellectual disability

Self-injurious behaviors (SIB) commonly occur in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and span diverse topographies of self-inflicted behaviors ranging from head banging to hitting oneself against hard objects. Despite the high rates of SIB in autistic individuals, relatively little research has focused on psychological factors associated with the development and maintenance of SIB in individuals with autism and moderate-profound intellectual disability (ID). This commentary synthesizes existing literature on SIB and highlights the need for more research focused on psychological correlates and mechanisms in autistic individuals with moderate-profound ID. We highlight the key role of difficulties in emotion regulation (ER) and co-occurring internalizing symptoms in the manifestation of self-harm behaviors in clinical samples and autism. Furthermore, this commentary proposes a framework for understanding the interplay between poor ER and internalizing symptoms in the development and maintenance of SIB in autistic individuals with moderate-profound ID. Specifically, we explore the emergence of SIB in the context of precipitating cues that trigger strong emotions, ER processes and strategy deployment, and co-occurring internalizing symptoms. Future directions and implications for longitudinal research, measurement development, and clinical treatments are discussed.

Temporal dynamics of negative emotion regulation: Insights from facial electromyography

Emotion regulation (ER) is a multifaceted process that unfolds over time. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of ER on negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA). We examined whether NA and PA changes occur sequentially or concurrently. After participants had been exposed to unpleasant pictures for 8000 ms, they received instructions to either continue viewing the picture (no regulation) or reappraise it with a neutral meaning (neutralize goal) or positive meaning (transform goal) for another 8000 ms. We obtained corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major electromyography (EMG) as objective measures of NA and PA. For the no-regulation condition, upon instruction onset, we observed maintained high corrugator and low zygomaticus EMG reactivity, indicating sustained NA activation. Compared to no-regulation, for the neutralize goal, we observed corrugator reduction starting at 1500 ms after instruction onset and no change in zygomaticus, indicating decreased NA and generation of neutral emotion. For the transform goal, we observed corrugator reduction starting at 1000 ms and zygomaticus increase at 3500 ms after instruction onset, indicating decreased NA and increased PA and generation of positive emotion. Model-fitting analyses showed that the best-fitting trajectory for the transform goal's pattern of change was initial NA reduction that turns into PA increase at 2000 ms. These distinct temporal patterns highlight the possibility of effecting one-dimensional NA change with the neutralize goal and sequential two-dimensional change (first decreasing NA, then increasing PA) with the transform goal. This research sheds light on the time course of emotional change generated by different emotion goals.

Application of "Internet +" continuous emotion management training in patients with depression

Objective

Explore the application effects of "Internet +" continuous emotional management training in depression patients and analyze the feasibility of innovative rehabilitation training methods.

Methods

Conveniently selected 100 discharged patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for depression from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University between August 2022 and January 2023 as study subjects. They were divided into an intervention group and a control group according to their discharge time, with 50 patients in each group. The control group received routine monthly telephone follow-ups and "Internet +" health popularization. The intervention group received "Internet +" continuous emotional management training in addition to the control group's protocol. Before and after the intervention, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), the Chinese version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-C), and the Social Adaptation Function Evaluation Scale (SAFE) were used to compare the differences in depression relief, cognitive emotion regulation levels, and social functions between the two groups.

Results

Two patients in the control group and three patients in the intervention group were lost to follow-up during the intervention, Ultimately, 48 patients in the control group and 47 patients in the intervention group completed the study. Before the intervention, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in HAMD scores, CERQ-C subscale scores, and SAFE scores (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the intervention group had significantly lower HAMD and SAFE scores compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In the CERQ-C questionnaire, the intervention group scored lower in self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others but higher in acceptance, positive refocusing, refocusing on planning, positive reappraisal, and putting into perspective compared to the control group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

"Internet +" continuity emotion management training can reduce the severity of depression in post-discharge patients and enhance their emotional management and social adaptability. This approach is feasible in clinical practice.

Savoring mental imagery: Electrocortical effects and association with depression

The ability to focus on and increase positive emotion in response to mental imagery may play a key role in emotional wellbeing. Moreover, deficits in this ability might underlie emotional disorders such as depression. Here, we set out to determine whether people could use savoring to upregulate subjective and electrocortical response to mental imagery of previously viewed positive and neutral pictures, and whether this would be negatively affected by depression. On each trial, participants (N = 49) viewed a positive or neutral picture, prior to simply re-imagining the previously presented picture ("view") or re-imagining the picture while savoring it ("savor"). Results showed that savoring increased electrocortical and subjective response to imagined stimuli; however, this effect was only evident at the electrocortical level when controlling for depression. Moreover, depression moderated electrocortical findings, such that individuals who were more depressed showed a reduced effect of savoring on neural response to mental imagery. Results are in line with recent work that has shown the benefits of positive affect treatment for depression, to suggest that deficits in savoring mental imagery may play a role in the development and/or maintenance of depression.

Temporal dynamics of positive emotion regulation: insights from facial electromyography

Introduction

Emotion regulation (ER) is a complex process that manifests gradually over time. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of ER in modifying positive emotions in terms of both negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) dimensions.

Methods

After participants had been exposed to pleasant pictures for 8,000 ms, they received instructions to either continue viewing the picture (no regulation) or reappraise it with a neutral meaning (neutralize goal) or negative meaning (transform goal) for another 8,000 ms. We obtained corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major electromyography (EMG) as objective measures of NA and PA.

Results

For the no-regulation condition, upon instruction onset, we observed maintained low levels of corrugator and high levels of zygomaticus EMG reactivity, indicating sustained PA activation. Compared to the no-regulation condition, for the neutralize goal, we observed no change in corrugator reactivity, which remained at a low level, while zygomaticus reduction started at 1,000 ms after instruction onset, indicating decreased PA and generation of a neutral emotional state. For the transform goal, we observed corrugator increase and zygomaticus decrease both starting at 1,500 ms after instruction onset and co-existing throughout the regulation period. These results indicate increased NA and decreased PA, relating to generation of a negative emotional state. The transform goal differed from the neutralize goal in terms of corrugator increase starting at 2,500 ms after instruction onset. Albeit simultaneous onset of changes on corrugator and zygomaticus reactivity under the transform goal, model-fitting analyses indicated that the best-fitting trajectory was one that first emphasized PA reduction until, at 3,000 ms, it turned into primary NA increase.

Discussion

These distinct temporal patterns highlight the possibility of effecting one-dimensional PA change with the neutralize goal and sequential two-dimensional change (first decreasing PA, then increasing NA) with the transform goal. This research sheds light on the time course of emotional change brought about by different regulatory goals.

The Future of Emotion Regulation Research: Broadening Our Field of View

Over the past few decades, emotion regulation research has matured into a vibrant and rapidly growing field (in 2022 alone, more than 30 thousand papers were published on emotion regulation). Taking stock of our progress, we ask "What does the future hold?" In this manuscript, we offer a roadmap for the next generation of research on emotion regulation. We begin by painting a picture of the field's journey so far. We then outline a forward-looking agenda for broadening our field of view along three key dimensions: (1) increasing our resolution to see how regulatory strategies are flexibly and dynamically translated into tactics; (2) widening our viewing angle to embrace interpersonal emotion regulation; and (3) extending the timescale of emotion regulation research to examine how regulatory efforts are fine-tuned across the regulatory cycle and in the context of a broader range of affective experiences. In doing so, we highlight empirical studies that exemplify these three areas of focus and discuss the opportunities that lie before us. We close by offering a set of concrete practical and methodological recommendations for how the field can accomplish the goals we have outlined.