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How Do Emotion Regulation Deficits Result in Mental Health Problems?

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Affect Regulation Training

Abstract

There are several likely pathways by which emotion regulation deficits lead to mental disorders: (1) emotion regulation deficits result in intense and perpetuated affective states that are defining criteria for mental disorders (such as depression), (2) emotion regulation deficits trigger dysfunctional strategies that are included in the diagnostic criteria of mental disorders (using avoidance to cope with anxiety), and (3) emotion regulation deficits result in unregulated emotions that impede self-help attempts to regulate other emotions that are related to mental disorders (unregulated anxiety that discourage a depressed person from engaging in positive social experiences). The development of emotion regulation skill deficits and subsequent mental health problems is described using the ART Developmental Model of Emotion Regulation Deficits.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We realize that while it is scientifically inaccurate to anthropomorphize brain regions, we will occasionally do so as we found it to be a very effective way to get participants interested in how their emotions work and to provide them with a sense of understanding, which fosters their sense of control.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Matthias Berking

  2. Private Practice, Irvine, CA, USA

    Brian Whitley

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  1. Matthias Berking
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  2. Brian Whitley
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Berking, M., Whitley, B. (2014). How Do Emotion Regulation Deficits Result in Mental Health Problems?. In: Affect Regulation Training. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1022-9_4

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