Positive emotion regulation strategies as mediators in depression and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms: A Transdiagnostic framework investigation

Positive emotion regulation (ER) strategies may contribute to the development and maintenance of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression; nonetheless, the underlying and transdiagnostic mechanisms are still unknown. To examine: 1) the mediating role of positive ER strategies in the relatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) N.J.), 2023, Vol.42 (1), p.800-807
Main Authors: Abasi, Imaneh, Shams, Giti, Pascual Vera, Belén, Milosevic, Irena, Bitarafan, Maryam, Ghanadanzadeh, Sepideh, Talebi Moghaddam, Maryam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Care and treatment
Comorbidity
Depression, Mental
Diagnosis
Emotion regulation
Emotional regulation
Generalized anxiety disorder
Health aspects
Investigations
Laws, regulations and rules
Management
Mediation
Mental depression
Positive emotions
Psychological aspects
Psychological research
Psychology
Psychology, Pathological
Social Sciences
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Summary:Positive emotion regulation (ER) strategies may contribute to the development and maintenance of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression; nonetheless, the underlying and transdiagnostic mechanisms are still unknown. To examine: 1) the mediating role of positive ER strategies in the relationship between ER deficits and experiential avoidance in GAD and depression symptoms; 2) differences in positive ER strategies among participants with elevated symptoms of GAD, depression, depression comorbid with GAD, and a nonclinical sample. 532 Tehran University students completed questionnaires assessing experiential avoidance, deficits in ER, positive ER strategies (dampening, positive rumination), and GAD and depression symptoms. Differences were assessed in four groups: GAD, depression, depression comorbid with GAD, and nonclinical. Data were analysed with path analysis and MANCOVA. Dampening and positive rumination mediated the relationship between deficits in ER and experiential avoidance in participants with depression and GAD symptoms. As for the between groups comparisons, the comorbid group obtained the highest scores on dampening and the nonclinical group the lowest. By contrast, nonclinical participants had the highest scores on positive rumination, whereas the comorbid group had the lowest. Positive ER strategies might be transdiagnostic variables. Dampening was more associated with psychopathology than positive rumination, suggesting that this strategy could be more clearly considered a transdiagnostic factor. Future studies with clinical samples must support this suggestion.
ISSN:1046-1310
1936-4733
DOI:10.1007/s12144-021-01392-5