Ana N Tibubos1, Jennifer Grammes2, Manfred E Beutel2, Matthias Michal2, Gabriele Schmutzer3, Elmar Brähler2. 1. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: AnaNanette.Tibubos@unimedizin-mainz.de. 2. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany. 3. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships of common emotion regulation strategies (suppression and reappraisal) to self-reported fatigue and depersonalization/derealization symptoms. Specifically, we tested the moderating effect of suppression and reappraisal on the link of fatigue with depersonalization and derealization symptoms. Opposite effects were expected for both emotion regulation strategies assuming that cognitive reappraisal has an adaptive buffering effect, while suppression intensifies the association of fatigue and depersonalization/derealization experiences. METHODS: In a representative study (N = 2524) we assessed emotion regulation strategies, fatigue, depersonalization/derealization, distress, and demographic variables via questionnaires. 55.5% of the participants were female, mean age was 49.4 (SD = 18.2) years with age groups represented in comparable proportions. RESULTS: In line with the assumptions, moderated regression analyses revealed an interaction effect of emotion regulation strategies and fatigue. Simple slope analyses indicated a buffering effect of cognitive reappraisal on the positive relation of fatigue with depersonalization and derealization symptoms. In contrast, suppression fosters the positive correlation of fatigue and depersonalization and derealization experiences. LIMITATIONS: Our study is limited to these two habitual emotion regulation strategies employing a cross sectional design. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide comprehensive empirical data investigating depersonalization/derealization symptoms from the perspective of emotion regulation research. Cognitive reappraisal might help people suffering from fatigue to prevent depersonalization and derealization tendencies.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships of common emotion regulation strategies (suppression and reappraisal) to self-reported fatigue and depersonalization/derealization symptoms. Specifically, we tested the moderating effect of suppression and reappraisal on the link of fatigue with depersonalization and derealization symptoms. Opposite effects were expected for both emotion regulation strategies assuming that cognitive reappraisal has an adaptive buffering effect, while suppression intensifies the association of fatigue and depersonalization/derealization experiences. METHODS: In a representative study (N = 2524) we assessed emotion regulation strategies, fatigue, depersonalization/derealization, distress, and demographic variables via questionnaires. 55.5% of the participants were female, mean age was 49.4 (SD = 18.2) years with age groups represented in comparable proportions. RESULTS: In line with the assumptions, moderated regression analyses revealed an interaction effect of emotion regulation strategies and fatigue. Simple slope analyses indicated a buffering effect of cognitive reappraisal on the positive relation of fatigue with depersonalization and derealization symptoms. In contrast, suppression fosters the positive correlation of fatigue and depersonalization and derealization experiences. LIMITATIONS: Our study is limited to these two habitual emotion regulation strategies employing a cross sectional design. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide comprehensive empirical data investigating depersonalization/derealization symptoms from the perspective of emotion regulation research. Cognitive reappraisal might help people suffering from fatigue to prevent depersonalization and derealization tendencies.
Authors: Bjarne Schmalbach; Markus Zenger; Ana Nanette Tibubos; Ada Borkenhagen; Bernhard Strauss; Elmar Brähler Journal: Int J Psychol Res (Medellin) Date: 2020 Jul-Dec