Adversity's Impact on Parents' Self-Report and Physiological Difficulties with Emotion Regulation: Appraisal as a Moderating Mechanism

Abstract

Globally, there is a high prevalence of adversity exposure, and there is evidence indicating a linear association between adversity exposure, particularly childhood adversity, and adults’ psychological distress. To better understand this association, researchers have examined the role of emotion regulation abilities (i.e., the ability to modulate emotional experiences and expressions), which are thought to impact and underlie one’s psychological well-being. The present study examined the association between childhood versus adulthood adversity exposure and self-report difficulties with emotion regulation and physiological indicators of emotion regulation (e.g., resting respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA), RSA reactivity, and RSA recovery). Further, the study assessed appraisal styles (i.e., patterns of subjective interpretations) across adverse life events as a possible moderator to help explain why some, but not all, exposed to adversity may display emotion regulation difficulties. Data came from 161 parents of preschoolers who participated in a large federally funded project, the Preschoolers Adjustment and Intergenerational Risk (PAIR) project. Results found no direct association between childhood or adulthood adversity exposure and self-report difficulties with emotion regulation, resting RSA, RSA reactivity, or RSA recovery. However, negative appraisal styles were associated with greater self-report difficulties with emotion regulation and greater RSA reactivity. Results also showed interactions between greater childhood adversity and more negative appraisals for lower resting RSA and greater RSA recovery. Implications and future directions are discussed.