Extrinsic Emotion Regulation: Exploring Strategies Used by Individuals With High and Low Depression Symptoms

Emotions play a significant role in well-being and interpersonal relationships. The presence of others is indispensable in facilitating the regulation of an individual’s emotions. Despite extensive research on intrinsic emotion regulation strategies, the specific strategies employed during extrinsic emotion regulation (EER), particularly among individuals with depression, remain underexplored. In this study, conducted in 2020, we investigated the EER strategies used by individuals with low and high depression symptoms and whether EER is beneficial to their well-being. A total of 130 individuals (48 with high and 82 with low depression symptoms) participated in the study. Participants provided written support letters in response to six negative emotional vignettes. The supportive letters were coded for four EER strategies: acceptance, reappraisal, empathic responding, and problem solving. The results revealed significant differences in EER strategy use between the groups. Participants with high depression symptoms were more likely to use acceptance, while those with low depression symptoms were more likely to use empathic responses. Contrary to our predictions, no significant group differences were found in the use of reappraisal and problem solving. Both groups reported increased positive affect and decreased negative affect after providing support, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of EER across different levels of depression symptoms. These findings highlight the distinct EER strategies adopted by depressed individuals and underscore the need for targeted interventions to enhance interpersonal emotion regulation skills. Understanding the differential use of EER strategies can inform the development of effective interventions aimed at improving both intrapersonal and interpersonal emotional regulation in individuals with depression.