Emotion differentiation, depression, and emotion regulation: a daily diary study

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Jaimie M. Lunsford (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Kari Eddington

Abstract: Labelling negative emotion experiences in a discrete way (i.e., negative emotion differentiation, or NED) has been found to be associated with lower incidence of several forms of psychopathology, including major depressive disorder. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. The present study used a two-week daily sampling design with 173 undergraduate participants to examine the relationships between NED and several momentary processes, including rumination, overgeneralizing cognitions, emotion regulation, and source awareness (knowledge about the cause of an emotion). NED was found to be significantly associated with lower baseline depression and less daily rumination, as predicted. Higher NED was also found to diminish the relationship between daily negative emotion and overgeneralizing, such that experiencing a bad mood more strongly predicted broad negative thinking about life and the future for low differentiators. However, no association between NED and daily source awareness or emotion regulation strategy use was observed, failing to support the hypothesis that high differentiators are more likely to know the cause of their emotions, and to engage in more adaptive regulation strategies (i.e., reappraisal and acceptance). Implications and future directions are discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2018
Keywords
Daily Diary, Depression, Emotion Differentiation, Emotion Regulation, Rumination
Subjects
Emotions
Depression, Mental
Rumination (Psychology)

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