Mediating role of interpersonal emotion regulation in adolescent’s close friendships

Abstract

Background. Through the life span, people learn how to regulate theirs and others emotions. Research revealed that adolescents exposed to childhood abuse (physical and emotional) are more likely to have difficulties in self-regulating emotions. Less attention was given to interpersonal emotion regulation (ER) conceptualized as the capacity of a person to use others to regulate their own emotions in social context. The objective of this study is to test the mediating role of interpersonal ER, between childhood exposure to abuse and perceived intimacy in close friendships. Methods. Using a cross-sectional design, 97 adolescents (14-17 years old), over-sampled for history of abuse will be assessed with self-report questionnaires. Each of the adolescents will complete subscales for physical and emotional abuse (CECA-Q), interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaire (IERQ) and Adolescent Intimacy Scale Revised. The effect of gender will also be tested. Multiple regression analysis will be conducted. Expected results. Exposure to abuse will be negatively related to perceived intimacy in close friendship. The relation will be mediated by interpersonal emotion regulation: adolescents with higher rates of exposure to abuse will report lower levels of interpersonal emotion regulation, which in turn will be related to less intimacy perceived in close friendships. Current stage of work. Data collection. Discussions. Interpersonal emotion regulation could be a mechanism that explains poor intimacy in close friendships in the case of adolescents with history of abuse. Given the stress buffer role that friendships can have, the implication for interventions in enhancing interpersonal emotion regulation skills will be discussed.