An In-Depth Analysis of Daily Interpersonal Emotion Regulation, Well-Being, and Psychopathology Among Emerging Adults

Abstract

Emotion regulation underlies the well-being and psychopathology of emerging adults; however, there is a substantive gap in the literature regarding interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Recent moves to daily methodologies have increased the ecological utility of emotion regulation research. Thus, this novel study investigates which IER strategies emerging adults use in daily life, whether emotions influence strategy selection, and the relationships between IER, emotions, psychopathology, and well-being. Emerging adults utilized a wide range of IER strategies in response to their complex emotional lives. Differences in IER strategy selection emerged between state and trait emotion, positive and negative affect, and high and low arousal emotions. Baseline depression and well-being moderated the relationship between select emotions and the tendency to use IER. Study findings demonstrate the need for innovative emotion regulation interventions for emerging adults that incorporate a repertoire of daily emotions and emotion regulation strategies.