Dynamics of attachment and emotion regulation in daily life : uni- and bidirectional associations

Attachment theory proposes that the activation of the attachment system enacts emotion regulation (ER) to maintain security or cope with insecurity. However, the effects of ER on attachment states and their bidirectional influences remain poorly understood. In this ecological momentary assessment study, we examined the dynamics between attachment and ER. We hypothesised that attachment states and ER influence each other through time. Specifically, we hypothesised bidirectional short-term cycles between state attachment security and reappraisal, state attachment anxiety and rumination, and state attachment avoidance and suppression. We also tested how trait attachment is related to state attachment and ER. One hundred twenty-two participants (M-age = 26.4) completed the Experiences in Close Relationship-Revised and reported state attachment and ER seven times daily for seven days. The results were only partly consistent with our cycle hypotheses yet revealed a cycle between low state attachment security and rumination that was attenuated by reappraisal. Moreover, rumination and suppression predicted increased insecure states, and reappraisal predicted increased secure and insecure states. Finally, trait attachment showed associations with state attachment and ER. Our study suggests regulatory dynamics between attachment and ER and opens important questions about their functional relationship in maintaining attachment-related behavioural patterns and emotional well-being.Peer reviewe

Determinants of adolescent sleep : Early family environment, obstetric factors, and emotion regulation

Peer reviewe

Determinants of adolescent sleep: Early family environment, obstetric factors, and emotion regulation

Optimal sleep quality fosters adolescents' wellbeing and, therefore, learning about its developmental determinants is essential. We examined how early family environment (i.e., parent-reported parenting, marital relationship quality, and mothers' mental health), obstetric factors (i.e., infertility history and assisted reproductive treatments, and pre- and perinatal complications and health risks), and children's emotion regulation in middle childhood predicted adolescents' sleep quality. We also tested the mediating role of emotion regulation in linking early determinants to adolescent sleep. Finnish families (N = 984) participated during pregnancy, infancy, middle childhood, and late adolescence. Results showed that only early maternal mental health problems predicted poor adolescent sleep quality. Contrary to hypotheses, emotion regulation did not mediate the effects of early family environment and obstetric factors on later sleep quality. Supporting the early family environment through improving maternal mental health can have long-term positive developmental impacts, including sleep.</p

Developmental Stage-Specific Effects of Parenting on Adolescents' Emotion Regulation: A Longitudinal Study From Infancy to Late Adolescence

The quality of parenting shapes the development of children's emotion regulation. However, the relative importance of parenting in different developmental stages, indicative of sensitive periods, has rarely been studied. Therefore, we formulated four hypothetical developmental timing models to test the stage-specific effects of mothering and fathering in terms of parental autonomy and intimacy in infancy, middle childhood, and late adolescence on adolescents' emotion regulation. The emotion regulation included reappraisal, suppression, and rumination. We hypothesized that both mothering and fathering in each developmental stage contribute unique effects to adolescents' emotion regulation patterns. The participants were 885 families followed from pregnancy to late adolescence. This preregistered study used data at the children's ages of 1 year, 7 to 8 years, and 18 years. At each measurement point, maternal and paternal autonomy and intimacy were assessed with self- and partner reports using the Subjective Family Picture Test. At the age of 18 years, adolescents' reappraisal and suppression were assessed using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and rumination using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Stage-specific effects were tested comparing structural equation models. Against our hypotheses, the results showed no effects of mothering or fathering in infancy, middle childhood, or late adolescence on adolescents' emotion regulation patterns. The results were consistent irrespective of both the reporter (i.e., self or partner) and the parental dimension (i.e., autonomy or intimacy). In addition to our main results, there were relatively low agreement between the parents in each other's parenting and descriptive discontinuity of parenting across time (i.e., configural measurement invariance). Overall, we found no support for the stage-specific effects of parent-reported parenting in infancy, middle childhood, or late adolescence on adolescents' emotion regulation. Instead, our findings might reflect the high developmental plasticity of emotion regulation from infancy to late adolescence.</p

Association of personality with life satisfaction in people with chronic disease : coping as a mediator

Goals: There is much variation between individuals in adjusting to chronic diseases. This study examined the direct and the indirect associations between personality, coping and life satisfaction in people with chronic diseases by using the typological approach to study personality. In the typological approach of personality, personality is studied by forming personality types which take into account a number of personality traits at the same time. Based on previous research, the context of life situation influences the relationship between personality and coping. The primary objective of this study was to deepen knowledge about the importance of personality and coping in the well-being of people with chronic disease. In addition, the main objective was to examine the suitability of the personality's typological approach in a sample of chronically ill. Methods: The study sample was a part of the Midlife Development in the United States follow-up study material. Adults who suffer from various chronic diseases (n = 1486, 59.4 % women, mean age = 60.6 year) were selected for the sample. Personality traits were measured using the likert-scaled items which describe big five personality traits. Coping strategies were assessed using likert-scaled statements based mostly on the COPE Inventory measure. Life satisfaction was assessed with indicators of satisfaction in different aspects of life. Latent profile analysis was used to investigate the structure of personality types and multinomial regression analysis was used to study associations between personality types and age, sex and whether one has chronic disease or not. The associations of personality types, coping strategies and life satisfaction were studied by using structural equation modeling. Results and conclusions: Based on the results of latent profile analysis resilient, overcontrolled and undercontrolled personality types were found. Both direct and indirect associations were detected between personality types, coping and life satisfaction. The resilient personality type predicted higher life satisfaction compared to overcontrolled and undercontrolled personality types. Coping by engagement and focusing on and venting of emotions partially mediated associations between personality types and life satisfaction. The results provide support for the role of personality factors in life satisfaction of people with chronic disease. Possible explanation models are discussed for the results and the role of the results is assessed from the perspective of the chronically ill people's quality of life. Lastly, discussion is provided about the limitations of the study in the light of generalizability and reliability.Tavoitteet: Kroonisiin sairauksiin sopeutumisessa yksilöiden välinen vaihtelu on pikemminkin sääntö kuin poikkeus. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin persoonallisuuden typologisen lähestymistavan avulla persoonallisuuden, selviytymiskeinojen ja elämäntyytyväisyyden kokemuksen välisiä suoria ja epäsuoria yhteyksiä kroonisesti sairaiden otoksessa. Persoonallisuuden typologisessa lähestymistavassa lähestytään persoonallisuutta muodostamalla persoonallisuustyyppejä, joissa huomioidaan useita persoonallisuuspiirteitä samanaikaisesti. Aiempien tutkimusten perusteella erityisesti persoonallisuuden ja selviytymiskeinojen väliseen yhteyteen vaikuttaa elämäntilanne, jossa niitä tarkastellaan. Tutkimuksen ensisijaisena tavoitteena oli syventää tietoa persoonallisuuden ja selviytymiskeinojen mahdollisista yhteisistä vaikutusmekanismeista kroonisesti sairaiden henkilöiden hyvinvoinnissa. Lisäksi tavoitteena oli tarkastella persoonallisuuden typologisen lähestymistavan soveltuvuutta kroonisesti sairaiden otoksessa. Menetelmät: Tutkimuksen aineisto oli osa amerikkalaisesta "Midlife Development in the United States" – seurantatutkimuksesta. Otokseksi valikoitiin eri kroonisista sairauksista kärsiviä aikuisikäisiä henkilöitä (n = 1486, 59.4 % naisia, keski-ikä = 60.6 vuotta). Persoonallisuuspiirteitä arvioitiin viittä suurta persoonallisuuspiirrettä kuvaavien likert-asteikollisten adjektiivien avulla. Selviytymiskeinoja arvioitiin likert-asteikollisilla väittämillä, joista suurin osa oli osa COPE Inventory -mittaria. Elämäntyytyväisyyttä arvioitiin eri elämäntyytyväisyyden osa-alueita mittaavilla kysymyksillä. Persoonallisuustyypit muodostettiin latentin profiilianalyysin avulla, ja iän, sukupuolen ja sairastumisen yhteyksiä persoonallisuustyyppeihin tarkasteltiin multinomiaalisella regressioanalyysilla. Persoonallisuustyyppien, selviytymiskeinojen ja elämäntyytyväisyyden kokemuksen yhteyksiä tutkittiin rakenneyhtälömallilla. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset: Latentin profiilianalyysin tulosten perusteella aineistosta muodostettiin resilientti, ylikontrolloiva ja alikontrolloiva persoonallisuustyyppi. Persoonallisuustyyppien ja selviytymiskeinojen kohdalla havaittiin sekä suoria että epäsuoria yhteyksiä kroonisesti sairaiden elämäntyytyväisyyteen. Verrattuna muihin persoonallisuustyyppeihin resilientti persoonallisuustyyppi ennusti korkeampaa elämäntyytyväisyyden kokemusta. Selviytymiskeinoista lähestymiseen suuntautuneiden keinojen ja tunteiden purkamisen käyttö välittivät osittain personallisuustyyppien ja elämäntyytyväisyyden välistä yhteyttä. Tulokset antavat tukea persoonallisuustekijöiden merkityksestä kroonisesti sairaiden elämäntyytyväisyyden kokemukselle. Pohdinnassa esitetään havaittujen tulosten mahdollisia selitysmalleja, arvioidaan tulosten merkitystä kroonisesti sairaiden elämänlaadun näkökulmasta ja tuodaan esille tulosten yleistettävyyteen ja luotettavuuteen liittyviä rajoituksia

Roles of recalled parenting experiences and effortful control in adult daily emotion regulation

Research suggests that both childhood experiences with one's parents and individual differences in effortful control contribute to adult emotion regulation (ER). However, it is unclear how they associate with specific ER processes. In this adult study, we examined the roles of recalled parenting experiences and effortful control in daily ER selection and implementation. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), we focused on ER strategies of reappraisal, suppression, and rumination. We hypothesized recalled parental warmth, rejection, and overcontrol to predict adult ER selection and effectiveness of ER implementation and effortful control to mediate these effects. One hundred twenty-two adults answered self-reported questionnaires on their childhood experiences with their parents and effortful control. In EMA, they reported ER and emotions seven times daily for seven days. Recalled parental warmth predicted less suppression and rumination, whereas recalled overcontrol, especially in fathers, predicted greater suppression and reappraisal. However, recalled parenting experiences did not predict the effectiveness of ER implementation, and no support was found for the mediating role of effortful control between recalled parenting experiences and ER. Our findings suggest that recalled parenting experiences may guide adult ER selection rather than shape ER implementation, and these links may be largely independent of their effortful control.Peer reviewe

Developmental Stage-Specific Effects of Parenting on Adolescents' Emotion Regulation : A Longitudinal Study From Infancy to Late Adolescence

The quality of parenting shapes the development of children's emotion regulation. However, the relative importance of parenting in different developmental stages, indicative of sensitive periods, has rarely been studied. Therefore, we formulated four hypothetical developmental timing models to test the stage-specific effects of mothering and fathering in terms of parental autonomy and intimacy in infancy, middle childhood, and late adolescence on adolescents' emotion regulation. The emotion regulation included reappraisal, suppression, and rumination. We hypothesized that both mothering and fathering in each developmental stage contribute unique effects to adolescents' emotion regulation patterns. The participants were 885 families followed from pregnancy to late adolescence. This preregistered study used data at the children's ages of 1 year, 7 to 8 years, and 18 years. At each measurement point, maternal and paternal autonomy and intimacy were assessed with self- and partner reports using the Subjective Family Picture Test. At the age of 18 years, adolescents' reappraisal and suppression were assessed using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and rumination using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Stage-specific effects were tested comparing structural equation models. Against our hypotheses, the results showed no effects of mothering or fathering in infancy, middle childhood, or late adolescence on adolescents' emotion regulation patterns. The results were consistent irrespective of both the reporter (i.e., self or partner) and the parental dimension (i.e., autonomy or intimacy). In addition to our main results, there were relatively low agreement between the parents in each other's parenting and descriptive discontinuity of parenting across time (i.e., configural measurement invariance). Overall, we found no support for the stage-specific effects of parent-reported parenting in infancy, middle childhood, or late adolescence on adolescents' emotion regulation. Instead, our findings might reflect the high developmental plasticity of emotion regulation from infancy to late adolescence.Peer reviewe

Attachment orientation and dynamics of negative and positive emotions in daily life

People's attachment orientation contributes to their emotional experiences. However, the associations between attachment orientation and emotion dynamic features have remained unclear. In this preregistered study, we tested the associations of attachment orientation with baseline level, variability, inertia, and differentiation of emotions using two ecological momentary assessment adult samples (N = 122; N = 127). Attachment anxiety predicted a higher baseline level of negative emotions in both samples and a lower baseline level of positive emotions in one sample. Attachment avoidance predicted a lower baseline level of positive emotions in both samples. After covarying baseline level, no associations of attachment orientation were detected with variability, inertia, and differentiation. Our findings suggest that attachment orientation is associated with baseline level rather than other emotion dynamic features.Peer reviewe

Dynamics of attachment and emotion regulation in daily life: uni- and bidirectional associations

Attachment theory proposes that the activation of the attachment system enacts emotion regulation (ER) to maintain security or cope with insecurity. However, the effects of ER on attachment states and their bidirectional influences remain poorly understood. In this ecological momentary assessment study, we examined the dynamics between attachment and ER. We hypothesised that attachment states and ER influence each other through time. Specifically, we hypothesised bidirectional short-term cycles between state attachment security and reappraisal, state attachment anxiety and rumination, and state attachment avoidance and suppression. We also tested how trait attachment is related to state attachment and ER. One hundred twenty-two participants (Mage = 26.4) completed the Experiences in Close Relationship–Revised and reported state attachment and ER seven times daily for seven days. The results were only partly consistent with our cycle hypotheses yet revealed a cycle between low state attachment security and rumination that was attenuated by reappraisal. Moreover, rumination and suppression predicted increased insecure states, and reappraisal predicted increased secure and insecure states. Finally, trait attachment showed associations with state attachment and ER. Our study suggests regulatory dynamics between attachment and ER and opens important questions about their functional relationship in maintaining attachment-related behavioural patterns and emotional well-being</p