Emotion regulation and mental health.

TLDR

The article argues that emotion regulation is a crucial but underappreciated component of mental health. The authors define emotion, emotion regulation, and mental health, trace the development and normal-functioning role of emotion regulation, and examine its dysregulation during major depressive episodes. They propose that an emotion-regulatory perspective unifies diverse depression theories and informs assessment, treatment, and prevention, while also suggesting its relevance to public mental health.

Abstract

In this article, we argue that emotion regulation is an essential (and traditionally underemphasized) feature of mental health. To develop this idea, we first define the terms emotion, emotion regulation, and mental health. We then chart the development of emotion regulation and describe its role in various facets of normal functioning. Next, we consider what happens when emotion becomes dysregulated in a major depressive episode. We suggest that an emotion regulatory perspective integrates diverse theoretical views of depression and has implications for the assessment, treatment, and prevention of depression. We conclude by speculating about the role of emotion regulation in the broader context of public mental health.