Emotion Regulation Predicts Stable and Long-term Future Well-being

Emotion regulation is thought to play a crucial role in well-being. However, we know surprisingly little about how emotion regulation predicts well-being over time in adulthood. The present study analyzed data from a large-scale panel study spanning 8 years on a nationally representative sample of Taiwanese adults (N = 4,990). Using random intercept panel modeling, we examined how emotion regulation strategies (i.e., cognitive reappraisal and suppression) predicted well-being (i.e., cognitive, affective, and physical) over time. Reappraisal was positively associated with both long-term stable well-being and future well-being up to 8 years later. In contrast, suppression of positive emotions—but not negative emotions—was associated with lower levels of well-being, both stably and across time. Effects generalized across gender, age, and social class backgrounds. These findings suggest that how people regulate their emotions today may have lasting consequences for their future well-being.