Emotion Regulation in Adolescent Mental Health
Summary
Emotion regulation—the processes by which individuals influence the nature, intensity and duration of their emotional experiences—underpins resilience and vulnerability during adolescence. This developmental window is marked by rapid maturation of neural circuits linking the prefrontal cortex and limbic structures, alongside social, academic and identity-related challenges. Effective regulation of both positive and negative emotions supports adaptive functioning, whereas habitual reliance on maladaptive strategies such as suppression or rumination contributes to the onset and maintenance of anxiety and depressive disorders. Contemporary models emphasise a dynamic interplay between neurobiological maturation, cognitive control capacities and environmental factors such as peer relationships and family support. Interventions that target specific regulatory skills—for example, cognitive reappraisal training or affective control exercises—have demonstrated promise in reducing symptom severity and enhancing well-being. Given the global burden of adolescent mental health problems, refining our understanding of regulatory mechanisms holds considerable promise for prevention and early intervention.
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Emotion Regulation in Adolescent Mental Health publication trend
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Technical terms
Cognitive reappraisal: A strategy involving reinterpretation of a situation to alter its emotional impact.
Expressive suppression: The inhibition of outward emotional expression without changing the internal experience.
Affective control: The deployment of executive functions to modulate attention and responses in emotionally charged contexts.
Rumination: Repetitive and passive focus on distress and its possible causes or consequences.
References
- Positive and Negative Emotion Regulation in Adolescence: Links to Anxiety and Depression. Brain Sciences (2019).
- The Role of Affective Control in Emotion Regulation During Adolescence. Emotion (2020).
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