Emotion Regulation Flexibility and Mental Health in an at-risk Adolescent Sample: A Daily Diary Study

ObjectiveAdolescents’ ability to flexibly select and use emotion regulation (ER) strategies in daily life is understudied. This is a major gap, given that adolescence is a sensitive developmental period with a peak onset of mental health difficulties and an increased tendency to use maladaptive ER strategies. This study examined how adolescents’ ER repertoire, maladaptive ratio, and between- and within-strategy variability were associated with negative and positive emotions, and with internalizing and externalizing symptoms.MethodUsing daily diaries (mean reports = 61.87), adolescents (N = 52; mean age = 13; 76.92% female) reported how they felt each day and how they regulated their emotions. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms were assessed before and after the diary period. We used multiple regression and multilevel modeling to analyze the data.ResultsThe number of strategies adolescents used mattered less than which strategies they used and how they used them. More frequent use of rumination, non-acceptance, and suppression relative to other strategies was associated with more internalizing symptoms, more negative emotions, and fewer positive emotions. Greater within-strategy variability was associated with more negative emotions and more externalizing symptoms. Specifically, greater variability in attention and suppression were associated with more negative emotions, while greater variability in rumination, distraction, and suppression were associated with externalizing symptoms. Between-strategy variability showed no significant associations.ConclusionFindings highlight the importance of how adolescents apply ER strategies in daily life. Adolescents, especially those at risk of emotional difficulties, may benefit from support in prioritizing strategies and applying them in more adaptive and contextually appropriate ways.