An Experimental Investigation of the Relationship Between Emotion Regulation Flexibility, Negative Affect and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Emerging research investigating mechanisms underpinning PTSD has identified emotion regulation (ER) flexibility - the ability to flexibly use ER strategies according to contextual demands - as one promising mechanism. To date, however, no study has investigated whether brief training in ER flexibility can minimise negative affect elicited from evocative stimuli. This study investigated the impact of instructed ER flexibility on emotional responding in probable PTSD.

Methods

Participants (N = 148) viewed images that differed in negative emotional intensity (high or low). For each image, participants followed instructions to adopt either a flexible or inflexible ER approach through randomisation to either an ER flexible condition or one of three control c

SUBMITTER: Lim M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11928379 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature