4 - (IOP 41) Cultural and Contextual Moderation of Emotion Regulation: The Short- and Long-term Impact of Approach and Avoidance Strategies in Daily Life

Background: Emotion regulation (ER) strategies can be broadly categorized into approach-focused (e.g., problem-solving, reappraisal, savoring) and avoidance-focused (e.g., suppression, distraction, worry). While prior research suggests that greater ER use is linked to emotional intensity, little is known about the differential short-term effectiveness and long-term psychological adaptation of these strategies across cultural contexts.

Methods: We examined how 11 approach- vs. avoidance-focused ER strategies impact short-term distress regulation and long-term psychological adaptation in daily life using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data from Chinese (144 adults and 11,347 observations) and U.S. (158 adults and 12,217 observations) participants. Mixed-effects models assessed the association between ER strategy use and momentary distress (DASS scores) and perceived effectiveness, while linear models tested their relationship with long-term psychological well-being (MASQ scores).

Results: Higher use of both approach and avoidance ER strategies was associated with greater distress in both samples, aligning with prior research that ER engagement often correlates with heightened emotional responses. However, approach-focused strategies were perceived as more effective with increased use, whereas avoidance-focused strategies were perceived as less effective. Cultural differences emerged in the role of situational characteristics (negativity and controllability). In the Chinese sample, greater use of avoidance ER in high-negative, highly controllable situations predicted higher distress and lower perceived effectiveness, whereas approach ER did not show a similar pattern. In contrast, in the U.S. sample, avoidance ER was also linked to greater distress in these situations, but approach ER use was associated with lower distress. Regarding long-term adaptation, habitual use (i.e., mean ER use across EMAs) of avoidance ER was associated with higher MASQ scores in the U.S. sample, but no significant relationship was found in the Chinese sample.

Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of cultural and contextual factors in shaping ER effectiveness and adaptation. While approach-focused strategies may be more effective in distress regulation, avoidance-focused strategies may contribute to long-term psychological difficulties, particularly in the U.S. context. Future research should further explore cultural differences in ER strategy valuation and situational appropriateness.