ABSTRACT THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG ATTACHMENT STYLE, AFFECT REGULATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND MENTAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE RELATIONAL WORLD Ruganci, Ruhsar Neslihan PhD., Department of Psychology Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tulin Gen&ccedil / &ouml / z February 2008, 271 pages In this study interpersonal world of the individual was tried to be conceived with its cognitive and affective domain. Two Studies were carried out. In the first study, adaptation of the Difficulty of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) developed by Gratz &amp / Roemer (2004), into Turkish was carried out. Additionally, the relation of secure (Ss), dismissing (Ds), preoccupied (Ps), fearful (Fs) and mixed insecure attachment styles with emotion regulation, and the mediator role of the emotion regulation in the association between each attachment style and psychological distress were analyzed, the results of which were also expected to serve for the strength of the validity of Turkish version . As a result of Study I, Turkish version of DERS was established with considerable reliability regarding alpha coefficient, test-retest and split-half reliabilities. Aapproximately similar factor structure with the original version indicating Construct Validity , as an indication of Concurrent Validity DERS and its subscales displayed significant relation with psychological symptoms, and DERS differentiated high and low distress level regarding Criterion Validity. Additionally, Ss were displayed significantly better emotion regulation in general compared to three insecure categories (i.e., except Ds but including Ps, Fs, Mixed insecures), and Ss significantly differed from total insecures in terms of every strategy of emotion regulation as well . Furthermore, psychological distress and Ss, Ps, Fs, (but not Ds) relationship were mediated by emotion regulation. These results were providing additional support for the validity of the Turkish version of DERS. In the second study, possible Clinical and Control Group differences were investigated through comparing the secure, insecure attachment styles of the participants in relation to emotion regulation, psychological distress and their personal construct system regarding the internal representation of self and significant others. Again, mediation of emotion regulation in the association between attachment style and psychological distress were examined both in Clinical and Control Group. Results revealed that Clinical Group had more difficulty to regulate their emotions, except awareness skill and had more psychological distress compared to Control Group. The strength of Ss was displayed with better emotion regulation and less psychological distress even in Clinical Group compared to insecure attachment styles. Effective emotion regulation, as a mediator was associated to low level of psychological distress for Ss, while problem in emotion regulation as a mediator was associated to high level of psychological distress for insecure attachment style both in Clinical and Control Group. Additionally, Ss seemed to integrate the &amp / #8216 / positives&amp / #8217 / and &amp / #8216 / negatives&amp / #8217 / into &amp / #8216 / self&amp / #8217 / and &amp / #8216 / others&amp / #8217 / rather than splitting and have better cognitive complexity or multi-dimensional view besides more integrated system compared to insecure attachment styles. Results were discussed considering the promising efficiency of instruments that can be used in Clinical Psychology research and considering the implications regarding the prevention and intervention in Clinical practice.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the path of perceived parenting styles, emotion recognition, emotion regulation, and psychological well-being in terms of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social anxiety symptoms consequently. For the purpose of this study 530 adults (402 female, 128 male) between the ages of 18 and 36 (M = 22.09, SD = 2.78) participated in the current study. The data was collected by a questionnaire battery including a Demographic Category Sheet, Short-EMBU (Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran- My Memories of Upbringing), &ldquo / Reading the Mind in the Eyes&rdquo / Test (Revised), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Emotion Regulation Processes, Beck Depression Inventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory, White Bear Suppression Inventory, Thought-Action Fusion Scale, and Emotional Approach Coping Scale. The psychometric properties of Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and Emotion Regulation Processes were investigated and found to have good validity and reliability characteristics. The three sets of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to reveal the significant associates of psychological well-being. As expected, the results of the current study revealed that perceived parenting styles, different emotion regulation strategies and processes had associated with psychological well-being in terms of depression, obsessivecompulsive disorder and social anxiety symptoms. The findings, and their implications with suggestions for future research and practice, were discussed in the light of relevant literature.

The purpose of the study was to examine the influences of basic personality traits, cognitive emotion regulation and interpersonal problems on the cognitive aspects of personality disorders. 1298 adult participants (411 males and 887 females) between the ages of 18 and 68 (M = 26.85, sd = 7.95) participated in the study. In the first part of the study, Inventory of Interpersonal Problems was adapted to Turkish, and psychometric properties of the adapted inventory as well as Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and Personality Belief Questionnaire were analyzed and were found to have good validity and reliability characteristics. Differences in demographic variables and correlational data for the measures were examined. Direct and mediational models were used to investigate the relationship among basic personality traits, cognitive emotion regulation, interpersonal problems and personality disorder beliefs. The results revealed that openness and neuroticism were associated with positive and negative emotion regulation, respectively. Neuroticism, negative valence and catastrophization were associated with interpersonal problems positively whereas extraversion was associated with them negatively. In terms of personality psychopathology, neuroticism, catastrophization, blaming others, and being cold and domineering in relations were found to be positively associated with personality disorder beliefs. Furthermore, the effect of neuroticism and negative valence on personality disorder beliefs was mediated by interpersonal problems, with the effect of negative valence also being mediated by negative cognitive emotion regulation. The findings and their implications with suggestions for future research and clinical applications, were discussed in the light of relevant literature.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between gender, self-control, emotion regulation, rumination and test anxiety. In other words, the study aimed at investigating how well each of the mentioned independent variables contributes to explain variance of test anxiety. The participants (N=188) were reached by convenient sampling procedure. The sample consisted of preparatory students studying in a private university in Ankara. Data were collected by a demographic form and four scales as Test Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1980), Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister, &amp / Boone, 2004), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross &amp / John, 2003), and Ruminative Response Scale (Treynor, Gonzalez, &amp / Nolen-Hoeksema, 2003). For this study, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was utilized to examine the data. The results revealed that gender, self-control, two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and suppression) and also brooding as a ruminative response significantly correlated to test anxiety of university students. Furthermore, self-control and cognitive reappraisal were found to be correlated with test anxiety stronger than the other independent variables. Reflection as another ruminative response was not found to be correlating with test anxiety within the suggested model. The findings obtained from the present study are discussed with regards to the related literature, and conclusions were drawn accordingly.

Although common in toddlerhood, for most children, antisocial behavior declines with age. The current study examined whether changes in maternal sensitivity, children's social skills, emotion regulation, and hostile attributions account for these declines. Data from 1022 participants, (52% female; 87% Caucasian) from the NICHD SECCYD were examined from 54 months through 6th grade. Analyses revealed that increases in sensitivity, social skills, and emotion regulation predicted decreases in antisocial behavior. Increases in sensitivity predicted declines because they promoted social skills and emotion regulation. Decreases in antisocial behavior predicted subsequent increases in sensitivity, children's social skills, emotion regulation, and decreases in hostile attributions. Increasing sensitivity, children's social skills, and emotion regulation, appear to be critical factors for naturally-occurring declines in antisocial behavior. / text

Emotions are thought to be one of the key factors that critically influences human decision-making. Emotion regulation can help to mitigate emotion related decision biases and eventually lead to a better decision performance. Serious games emerged as a new angle introducing technological methods to learning emotion regulation, where meaningful biofeedback information communicates player's emotional state. Games are a series of interesting choices, where design of those choices could support an educational platform to learning emotion regulation. Such design could benefit digital serious games as those choices could be informed though player's physiology about emotional states in real time. This thesis explores design and evaluation methods for creating serious games where emotion regulation can be learned and practiced. Design of a digital serious game using physiological measures of emotions was investigated and evaluated. Furthermore, it investigates emotions and the effect of emotion regulation on decision performance in digital serious games. The scope of this thesis was limited to digital serious games for emotion regulation training using psychophysiological methods to communicate player's affective information. Using the psychophysiological methods in design and evaluation of digital serious games, emotions and their underlying neural mechanism have been explored. Effects of emotion regulation have been investigated where decision performance has been measured and analyzed. The proposed metrics for designing and evaluating such affective serious games have been extensively evaluated. The research methods used in this thesis were based on both quantitative and qualitative aspects, with true experiment and evaluation research, respectively. Digital serious games approach to emotion regulation was investigated, player's physiology of emotions informs design of interactions where regulation of those emotions could be practiced. The results suggested that two different emotion regulation strategies, suppression and cognitive reappraisal, are optimal for different decision tasks contexts. With careful design methods, valid serious games for training those different strategies could be produced. Moreover, using psychophysiological methods, underlying emotion neural mechanism could be mapped. This could inform a digital serious game about an optimal level of arousal for a certain task, as evidence suggests that arousal is equally or more important than valence for decision-making. The results suggest that it is possible to design and develop digital serious game applications that provide helpful learning environment where decision makers could practice emotion regulation and subsequently improve their decision-making. If we assume that physiological arousal is more important than physiological valence for learning purposes, results show that digital serious games designed in this thesis elicit high physiological arousal, suitable for use as an educational platform.

Emotion regulation involves changing the emotions that one experiences and expresses. Many studies have shown that culture influences emotion regulation and that regulating emotions can have positive or negative effects on relationship quality (English & John, 2013; Impett et al., 2011; Kalokerinos, Greenaway, & Denson, 2014; Regan, Lakhanpal, Anguiano, 2012; Su, Wei, & Tsai, 2014; Yelsma & Athappilly, 1988). Although research has studied culture, emotion regulation, and relationship quality separately, essentially no studies have combined the three factors to see how they are related. Specifically, there is very little information on whether emotion regulation plays a similar role in relationship quality across different cultures. The present study looks at daily associations between emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal, suppression, avoidance, and taking action) and emotions felt due to the partner, moderated by marriage type (American, Indian-arranged, Indian-love). I compare 128 heterosexual couples from the United States and India (in love and arranged marriages). These couples completed daily diaries once a day for seven days and reported the types of emotion regulation they used, as well as their positive or negative emotions due to their partner. I found that for Indian love and arranged couples, taking action was associated with increased positive partner induced emotions and reduced negative emotions. In contrast, taking action for U.S. couples had the opposite effect and was associated with increased negative emotions due to the partner, with no effect on positive emotions. In the U.S. couples, I also found that suppression and avoidance were associated with decreased positive partner induced emotions, but there was no effect for the Indian couples. With reappraisal, I found that high levels were associated with decreased negative partner induced emotions for all couples. Overall, results suggest that effective regulation of negative partner induced emotions can protect relationship quality, but that what constitutes effective regulation depends on cultural context.

Previous research has shown that cognitive reappraisal, an emotion regulation strategy, has beneficial effects on emotion experience during strategy engagement. The present study extends this work by investigating whether cognitive reappraisal impacts the anticipation of an aversive event during, and five days following, strategy engagement. Emotion profiles, including psychophysiological and self-report indices, were also examined to assess whether reappraisal inhibits affective responses. Participants underwent habituation and simple discriminatory fear conditioning. Stimuli were pictures of a snake and a spider. Two days later participants returned to the laboratory and were either i) cued to engage in cognitive reappraisal while imagining the stimuli ii) exposed to the stimuli with no reappraisal instructions iii) exposed to the stimuli while engaging in cognitive reappraisal or iv) had an experience unrelated to the stimuli (control condition). Participants returned to the lab five days later and were exposed to both pictures paralleling initial habituation and conditioning protocols. It was found that cognitive reappraisal during exposure reduced expectancy of the UCS faster than exposure alone and resulted in lower mean skin conductance response (SCR) for those low, but not high, in fear of snakes. Five days later participants in the intervention conditions, compared to the control condition, demonstrated less anticipation of the UCS and smaller emotion-modulated startle magnitudes to the UCS. These findings suggest that cognitive reappraisal may be an effective tool for reducing anticipation of an aversive event and can result in enduring fear inhibition. This may have important implications for the treatment of individuals with anxiety disorders. The present study also examined the relationship between cardiac vagal control, indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and subsequent sympathetic arousal during fear conditioning, indexed by SCR. Results demonstrate that participants with low, compared to high, resting RSA had larger SCRs during habituation and conditioning trials. In addition, participants with lower RSA showed greater SCR reactivity following UCS presentation to both conditioned stimuli, suggesting that those with the lower RSA initially differentiated less between the UCS paired and unpaired images. These findings are consistent with theories that associate faster recovery from emotionally demanding situations with greater cardiac vagal control.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a complex and dangerous set of behaviours that has been gaining increased research attention in recent years. Although existing research indicates that NSSI is prevalent among both adolescent and young adult clinical and community samples, few studies have empirically examined models of factors involved in the etiology and maintenance of these behaviours, particularly the role of social factors. Further, although existing research supports the use of NSSI for emotion regulation purposes, less research attention has focused on the impact of emotion reactivity. The focus of the current project was to examine the role of emotional, interpersonal, and subcultural factors in NSSI. Utilizing a sample of 397 university students, Study 1 presents a psychometric re-evaluation of the Emotion Reactivity Scale (ERS; Nock et al., 2008), used to inform the most appropriate use of the measure in the subsequent studies. Results supported the reliability and validity of the ERS and suggested that the ERS is best utilized as a unidimensional measure of emotion reactivity. Study 2 examined an intra- and inter-personal model of NSSI among the same sample of 397 university students. Support was obtained for the Experiential Avoidance Model of NSSI (Chapman et al., 2006) as well as for the mediational influence of interpersonal relationships on NSSI via emotion regulation. Preliminary support was also provided for the influence of identification with more deviant subcultures, including Goth and Emo groups. Finally, Study 3 aimed to replicate support for the model among a sample of 178 members of self-injury internet forums. Contrary to hypotheses, little support was demonstrated for the model, and fewer significant associations were demonstrated for the influence of subcultural identification. Examination of the characteristics of the sample suggested that the online forum members represent a unique group in regard to the severity of their NSSI experiences that has been understudied in the existing literature. Alternative hypotheses to account for the observed findings are presented. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

The current research, across three studies, examined two social practices that involve processing and responding to others’ emotions, theory of mind (ToM) and empathy, and how they relate to dysphoria and the social impairments associated with dysphoria over time. Mildly depressed, or dysphoric, individuals, have been found to have heightened ToM when identifying others’ emotions, despite reporting widespread social impairments (Harkness et al., 2005). The first study (Chapter 2) examined if and how ToM is a mediator in the relationship between dysphoria and social functioning. Attribution style, specifically the internalizing attribution bias, was hypothesized to play a role. The interaction between ToM and internalizing attribution bias was independently associated with social functioning. For internalizing attributors, higher ToM was related to better social functioning, but no relationship was observed between ToM and social functioning among non-internalizing attributors. The second study (Chapter 3) examined the relationship between ToM and empathy, addressing the debate surrounding cognitive and affective aspects of ToM and empathy. Affective ToM and cognitive empathy both have been described as processes involving cognitive inferences about others’ emotions. Current results supported this link, showing that a specific component of empathy, perspective-taking, was related to ToM. Although ToM was associated with some aspects of empathy, empathy remained a separate construct that includes both cognitive and emotional responding to others’ emotions. Chapter 4 shifted focus to empathy to examine how this social practice relates to dysphoria and social functioning. The last study first examined how empathy relates to dysphoria. Results showed that only personal distress, one component of empathy, was associated with greater dysphoria. The final study also examined if the empathy x emotion regulation interaction mediates the relationship between dysphoria and social functioning. Different patterns were observed for different emotion regulation types. The interaction between maladaptive, but not adaptive, emotion regulation strategies and empathy was correlated directly with social functioning. For individuals with negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies, greater empathy was associated with better social functioning, a relationship not present for individuals who do not use negative cognitive emotion regulation. Finally maladaptive, but not adaptive, emotion regulation significantly predicted social functioning after controlling for dysphoria. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2008-10-22 15:25:33.573