Introduction
Emotion Regulation Flexibility in Adults
Development of Emotion Regulation Flexibility Processes Across Childhood Into Adolescence
The Current Study
Methods
Eligibility Criteria
Search Strategy
“emotion* (dys)regulat*” OR “emotion* control*” OR “emotion* difficult*” OR “emotion* express*” OR “affect* (dys)regulat*” OR “affect* control*” OR “affect* difficult*” OR “affect* express*” OR “coping (dys)regulat*” OR “coping control*” OR “coping difficult*” OR “coping express*” | |
AND | “switch*” OR “flexibl*” OR "variability" OR "repertoire" |
AND | “youth” OR “child*” OR “adolescen*” |
Study Selection, Data Extraction and Risk of Bias Assessment
Results
Included Articles
Authors / Year | Location | Sample Size | Age Mean (SD) | Age Range (years) | Study Design | Definition ERF | Measurement of ERF | Primary Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Haag et al. (2022) | USA | Study 1: 439; Study 2: 172; Study 3: 43 | Study 1: 11.42 (1.44); Study 2: 17.05 (1.97); Study 3: 13.11 (2.62) | 8–19 | Cross-Sectional study | Expressive flexibility: Ability to flexibly enhance or suppress emotional expression | Questionnaire (FREE-Y) | Validity of the FREE-Y; lower flexibility scores for maltreated versus comparison participants |
Klosowka et al. (2020) | Belgium | 214 | NA | 10–18 | Cross-Sectional range of stressor types (IV); Adjustment outcomes (DV); ER role (Moderator) | Ratio of maladaptive/adaptive ER strategies to represent how ER operates in one participant; both the use and the adaptability of ER strategies depend on the specific context in which they are used | Questionnaire (FEEL-KJ) | Impact of stressors on psychological and physiological outcome moderated by flexibility scores |
Lougheed and Hollenstein (2012) | Canada | 177 | 13.6 (1.1) | 12–16.9 | Cross-Sectional study | ER repertoire that enables flexible deployment of multiple strategies (one at a time or multiple strategies at same time) | Questionnaires (ERQ, ASQ, DERS) | Latent profiles of five ER strategies. Greater ER repertoire associated with lower levels of internalizing problems |
McKone et al., 2022 | USA | 129 | 12.26 | 11–13 | Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) | Switching emotion regulation strategies | Self-report in EMA | Individuals differed in the extent of strategy switching. Switching strategies was associated with age & individual and within-person differences in perceived controllability, emotional intensity, and co-regulatory support |
Mooney et al. (2017) | New Zealand | 38 | NA | 5–15 | Longitudinal/Descriptive phenomenological framework (interviews)/Qualitative coding | Varied use of multiple coping strategies to better manage diverse challenges | Interview coding | Greater coping abilities and post-disaster adjustment were associated with employment and use of diverse set of strategies |
Schulz et al. (2005) | USA | 72 | 14.6 | 14–15 | Longitudinal Study | Modulation of emotional expression: the ability to modulate emotional expressions and responses | Interview coding | Better ability to modulate emotional expressions when negatively aroused was associated with lower hostility when parents displayed hostile behavior toward each other |
Wang and Hawk (2019) | China | 368 | 12.21 (1.58) | 9–15 | Longitudinal/ Experimental / Lab-based task | Expressive Flexibility: flexible modulation of emotion expressions to align with situational demands | Experimental Paradigm (adapted from adult EFT) | Expressive flexibility was associated with positive peer relations |
Wang and Hawk (2020) | China | Study 1: 549; Study 2: 248, Study 3: 199; Study 4: 48 | Study 1: 12.42 (1.70); Study 2: 12.74 (0.38); Study 3: 13.57 (0.63); Study 4: 12.43 (0.38) | 8–16 | Cross-Sectional/ Validation of Measure/ Experimental study | Expressive Flexibility: flexible modulation of emotion expressions to align with situational demands | Questionnaire (CAFE) | Validity of CAFE scale; lower flexibility scores were observed across clinical outcome variables (depression, problem behaviors) |
Wang et al. (2020) | China | Study 1: 147; Study 2: 100 | 12.42 (0.38) | 12–14 | Cross-Sectional/Experimental Manipulation Paradigm | Expressive Flexibility: flexible modulation of emotion expressions to align with situational demands | Experimental Paradigm (adapted from EFT) | Bidirectional effects were observed between expressive flexibility and peer acceptance |
Wang et al. (2022) | China | 274 | 13.56 (0.63) | 12–15 | Longitudinal Study | Expressive flexibility: flexible modulation of emotion expressions to align with situational demands | Questionnaire (CAFE) | Friendship quality positively predicted expressive flexibility; expressive flexibility was a positive predictor for friendship quality for participants with lower social anxiety |
Zimmer-Gembeck et al. (2018) | Australia | 558 | 16.0 (1.50) | 12–19 | Cross-Sectional study | Access to a range of coping responses that can be flexibly deployed to match changing demands of stressful episodes | Questionnaire (SFCS) | Validity of the SFCS; lower scores were linked with greater anxiety and depressive symptoms, problem behaviors, and lower self-worth |