From Temperament to Regulation: The Role of Cognitive Control and Flexibility in Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation (ER) is shaped by both temperament traits and cognitive-affective mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate how broad and specific dimensions of temperament relate to adaptive and maladaptive ER strategies, and to what extent these associations are mediated by cognitive control over emotions and appraisal/coping flexibility. A large community adult sample (N = 1508; predominantly Western European; collected in 2023) completed self-report measures of temperament, cognitive control, flexibility, and ER. Structural equation modeling compared a broad-factor model (Positive Emotionality [PE], Negative Emotionality [NE], and Effortful Control [EC]) with a more detailed subscale model. Higher PE and EC were associated with more adaptive ER at the total-effect level, primarily through indirect pathways via cognitive control and flexibility. NE showed associations with maladaptive ER, both directly and indirectly through reduced cognitive control. Cognitive control over emotions was consistently linked to greater adaptive and lower maladaptive strategy use, whereas appraisal/coping flexibility was associated with broader strategy engagement. At the subcomponent level, negative perseveration emerged as the strongest vulnerability factor, while activation control and positive perseveration were linked to more adaptive ER. The subscale model provided slightly improved fit, though the broad-factor model offered greater parsimony. These findings underscore the value of integrating temperament with cognitive-affective mechanisms and of differentiating between specific temperament components in understanding individual differences in ER. Clinically, they suggest that enhancing cognitive control over emotions in particular may be a key pathway to improving regulation, especially for individuals high in NE.