Emotion regulation

Positive psychology constitutes an approach to the study of human behavior that examines the extent to which individuals’ affective factors are likely to ameliorate their life conditions and their performance in diverse academic and occupational settings. The present study strived to determine the degree to which university learners’ psychological well-being, as their main positive psychology factor, was influenced by their grit, emotion regulation, and academic engagement. To this end, the researchers used convenience sampling to select 221 English Language and Literature learners and 178 Persian Language and Literature learners from among the learners of a university in Tabriz (Iran) as the participants. Second, they administered the English and Persian versions of the psychological well-being scale, grit scale, emotion regulation scale, and academic engagement scale of the study to the learners of English and Persian respectively. Finally, the researchers utilized SPSS 25 and Amos 24 to analyze the obtained data. Based on the results, while English learners’ grit, emotion, regulation, and academic engagement significantly predicted their psychological well-being, Persian learners’ grit, and academic engagement constituted significant predictors of their psychological well-being in their academic setting. Moreover, English learners’ psychological well-being was significantly higher than that of Persian learners. The results may have certain implications for professor educators, syllabus designers, and professors in the context of Iran.

Objective: Studies show that joint parent-child activities have far-reaching effects on a child's emotional, cognitive, and social development. Research also reports the significant impact of mother-child relationships on mother-child interactions. The aim of this study was to investigate The Effect of Joint Reading in Mother-Child dyads on The Child’s Empathy and Emotional Regulation of the Mother.Methods: In the present study, which was conducted as quasi-experimental with the control group, 20 mother-child pairs from Alborz Elementary School in Sanandaj, by quota sampling,  were randomly divided into two intervention and control groups. Data collection instruments included a Persian version of EmQue-CA for children and an emotional self-regulation questionnaire by Hoffman and Kashdan for mothers. The mother-child pairs in the intervention group read ten stories for 10 weeks, lasting thirty to forty-five minutes each with the mother and child. Data were analyzed using the ANCOVA and MANCOVA methods.Results: In the intervention group, mean empathy (27.60) and mean tolerance style (21.28) increased, and this difference was statistically significant (p<0.001).Conclusion: The results show that joint reading affects the child's empathy and the mother's emotion regulation. Reading the story helps the child gain a better understanding of the events and improves mother-child interactions.

English cartoons have become increasingly popular as a resource for language learners worldwide. While the literature has primarily focused on their impact on English language skills and sub-skills in EFL education, less attention has been given to their influence on cognitive and affective aspects such as emotion regulation and self-efficacy. This study employed a mixed-methods approach with a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design to explore the impact of watching English cartoons on the emotion regulation and self-efficacy of adolescent Iranian EFL learners. 120 Iranian learners, aged 12 to 18, were recruited from English institutes in Tehran and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group watched two 30-minute episodes of selected American-produced animated cartoons per week for eight weeks, totaling 16 episodes, while the control group did not. The MANCOVA analysis revealed significant differences in self-efficacy and emotion regulation between the experimental and control groups, indicating that exposure to English cartoons positively influences learners' emotional responses and self-efficacy. Thematic analysis of the interview data highlighted positive evaluations of the experience, identifying five themes: enhancement of language skills, positive emotions leading to increased motivation, the prominence of comedy, contribution to sustained learning, and varying effects on self-efficacy. These findings hold valuable theoretical and practical implications for the field.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) in improving emotion regulation and critical thinking skills in individuals with hearing impairments. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 participants (15 in the intervention group receiving SIT and 15 in the control group). The intervention consisted of ten 75-minute SIT sessions over a two-month period. Emotion regulation and critical thinking were measured at three time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and two-month follow-up, using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA), respectively. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests. Significant improvements in emotion regulation were observed in the intervention group from pre-intervention (M = 95.45, SD = 12.78) to post-intervention (M = 81.32, SD = 11.45), and maintained at follow-up (M = 82.67, SD = 12.01). The control group showed no significant changes. For critical thinking, the intervention group’s scores increased significantly from pre-intervention (M = 28.67, SD = 5.23) to post-intervention (M = 36.78, SD = 4.89), and remained high at follow-up (M = 35.54, SD = 4.67). The control group’s scores did not change significantly. ANOVA results indicated significant main effects for time and group for both variables (p < .001), with significant interaction effects (p < .001). Sensory Integration Therapy significantly improves emotion regulation and critical thinking in individuals with hearing impairments, with effects sustained over a two-month follow-up. These findings support the use of SIT as an effective intervention for enhancing cognitive and emotional skills in this population.

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between curiosity, social support, and emotion regulation in individuals with specific learning disorders (SLD). The objective was to determine how social support and emotion regulation predict levels of curiosity in this population, providing insights for effective interventions. The study employed a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 252 participants, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie table. Data were collected using the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II (CEI-II) for curiosity, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) for social support, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) for emotion regulation. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS-27 to examine the relationships between the variables. Descriptive statistics indicated moderate levels of curiosity, social support, and emotion regulation among participants. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between curiosity and both social support (r = 0.52, p < 0.001) and emotion regulation (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that social support and emotion regulation collectively accounted for 37% of the variance in curiosity (R² = 0.37, F(2, 249) = 72.19, p < 0.001). Both social support (B = 0.32, p < 0.001) and emotion regulation (B = 0.25, p < 0.001) emerged as significant predictors of curiosity. The findings highlight the significant roles of social support and emotion regulation in fostering curiosity among individuals with SLD. Supportive social environments and effective emotion regulation strategies are critical for promoting curiosity and engagement. These insights can inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at enhancing the well-being and academic success of individuals with SLD.

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of drama therapy on friendship quality and emotion regulation in adolescents with physical disabilities. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 40 adolescents aged 13-18 years, randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving drama therapy (n=20) or a control group (n=20). The intervention comprised ten 60-minute sessions over three months. Measures used included the Friendship Quality Scale (FQS) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests, with analyses performed in SPSS version 27. Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group compared to the control group. For friendship quality, the intervention group’s scores increased from a mean (M) of 55.12 (SD = 5.47) at pre-intervention to 68.25 (SD = 6.23) post-intervention and slightly decreased to 66.84 (SD = 6.01) at follow-up. Emotion regulation scores in the intervention group increased from 36.45 (SD = 4.12) at pre-intervention to 45.78 (SD = 4.96) post-intervention and slightly decreased to 44.67 (SD = 4.81) at follow-up. ANOVA results showed significant main effects for group and time (p < .001), with significant interactions between time and group for both variables (p < .001). Bonferroni post-hoc tests confirmed significant pre- to post-intervention and pre- to follow-up improvements in the intervention group (p < .001). Drama therapy significantly enhances friendship quality and emotion regulation in adolescents with physical disabilities, with effects sustained at a three-month follow-up. These findings support the incorporation of drama therapy in therapeutic programs for this population to address their unique psychosocial challenges.

This study aimed to examine the predictive role of hope and emotion regulation in perceived discrimination among adults with physical disabilities. The study employed a correlational descriptive design with a sample of 390 adults with physical disabilities, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie table. Participants completed validated measures assessing perceived discrimination, hope, and emotion regulation, including the Perceived Discrimination Scale, the Adult Hope Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation to examine associations between variables and multiple linear regression to determine the predictive effect of hope and emotion regulation on perceived discrimination. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-27, with significance set at p < 0.01. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between hope and perceived discrimination (r = -0.45, p < 0.01) and between cognitive reappraisal and perceived discrimination (r = -0.38, p < 0.01), while expressive suppression was positively correlated with perceived discrimination (r = 0.41, p < 0.01). The regression model was statistically significant (F(2, 387) = 53.04, p < 0.01) with an R² value of 0.27, indicating that hope and emotion regulation explained 27% of the variance in perceived discrimination. Hope (B = -0.39, p < 0.01) and cognitive reappraisal (B = -0.28, p < 0.01) negatively predicted perceived discrimination, whereas expressive suppression (B = 0.31, p < 0.01) was a positive predictor. The findings suggest that hope and adaptive emotion regulation strategies, particularly cognitive reappraisal, serve as protective factors against perceived discrimination, whereas expressive suppression exacerbates discriminatory perceptions. These results highlight the importance of psychological interventions aimed at fostering hope and teaching adaptive emotion regulation strategies to mitigate the impact of discrimination in individuals with physical disabilities.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the structural model of risky behaviors based on attention, memory, and inhibition systems with the mediating role of emotion regulation in female drug users. Methods: This research was descriptive-correlational and employed structural equation modeling. The study population consisted of all drug users (marijuana) in Isfahan who visited addiction treatment centers during 2023. The sample included 200 female drug users (marijuana) selected through convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected using the Attention and Memory Improvement Software, Wechsler's Clinical Memory Test, the Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scales (Carver & White, 1994), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006), and the Risk-Taking Behavior Questionnaire (Lejuez, 2002). In this study, descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used to organize, summarize, and describe the characteristics of the participants and research variables. In the inferential statistics section, structural equation modeling and Pearson correlation methods were employed for data analysis using SPSS.22 and AMOS.22 software. Findings: Fit indices 0.599=PCFI, 0.611=PNFI, 2.88=CMIN/DF, 0.072=RMSEA, 0.913=IFI, 0.920=CFI, and 0.909=GFI indicated a good fit of the proposed model with the data. Hence, the proposed model is suitably fitted. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that the structural model of risky behaviors based on the attention system with the mediating role of emotion regulation fits well for drug-using individuals.

Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of reflective parenting training on emotion regulation and the parent-child relationship in mothers with children under 6 years of age. Method: This is a quantitative study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design involving an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population includes all mothers with children under 6 years old in Isfahan. For sampling, a purposive sampling method was used by visiting kindergartens in Isfahan, and 30 participants were selected based on the cut-off point of the questionnaires and inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (15 people) and a control group (15 people). Subsequently, reflective parenting training sessions based on the Bateman and Fonagy (2001) protocol were conducted for the experimental group, while the control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the Parent-Child Relationship Scale (Pianta, 1992) and the Emotion Regulation Inventory (Shield & Cicchetti, 1995). The collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests (repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test) and SPSS software. Findings: Given that the calculated F-value for between-group effects (group membership effect), within-group effects (time effect), and the interactive effect of group and time was significant at the 99% confidence level (P < 0.01), these results indicate a significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, it suggests that this significant difference exists at least at one time point during the intervention among the research groups. The Bonferroni post hoc test results showed differences in adaptive emotion regulation, instability/negativity, and the parent-child relationship scores during the research stages between the experimental groups (P < 0.01). In other words, the reflective parenting intervention had a significant impact on improving the research variables. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that this intervention was effective on the research variables and confirms that this approach can be used as an effective strategy in improving parental abilities and reducing psychological challenges in mothers during the parenting period.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine and compare the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy and schema therapy on attachment styles and emotion regulation in women affected by infidelity. Methods and Materials: This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest and control group. The statistical population included all women affected by infidelity who referred to counseling centers in Tehran in 2023. From this population, 45 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: the first experimental group (emotion-focused therapy, 15 participants), the second experimental group (schema therapy, 15 participants), and the control group (15 participants). The experimental groups received the respective interventions across a set number of sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. All three groups were assessed at pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages using the Attachment Styles Questionnaire and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Findings: Data analysis using repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc tests indicated that both therapeutic approaches led to significant improvements in attachment styles and enhanced emotion regulation abilities in women affected by infidelity (p < .05). Moreover, a comparison of results showed that schema therapy demonstrated greater effectiveness than emotion-focused therapy in certain indices. Conclusion: Based on the findings, emotion-focused therapy and schema therapy can be considered effective approaches for promoting secure attachment styles and improving emotion regulation among women affected by infidelity.