3 - (SYM 36) Clarifying the Relation Between Minority Stress and Facets of Emotion Regulation: A Meta-analysis and Narrative Review

Abstract Body
Minority stress theory posits stressors uniquely experienced by marginalized groups—such as violence, stigma, and discrimination—significantly contribute to negative mental and physical health outcomes (Kelleher, 2009; Lick et al., 2013; Meyer, 1995). Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties serve both as predictors of how individuals cope with minority stress and as outcomes of prolonged exposure to these stressors (Braunstein, Gross, & Ochsner, 2017; Koole, Webb, & Sheeran, 2015). However, facets of ER—such as cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness, suppression, rumination, or emotional awareness—may or protect one against the deleterious effects of minority stress (Feinstein et al., 2022; Puckett et al., 2023), as varying maladaptive strategies, such as expressive suppression and coping depletion, have shown varying effects (Dyar, 2025). The present meta-analysis, following PRISMA guidelines, synthesized 114 studies (74 cross-sectional, 40 longitudinal) to clarify the relationship between ER facets and minority stress. Descriptive statistics across studies, including demographic characteristics, study design types, and commonly utilized measurements for ER and minority stress will be presented. Meta-analytic results revealed a moderate negative relation (r = -0.32, p < 0.01) between global ER difficulties and the intensity of minority stress, suggesting that individuals with stronger ER skills tend to experience lower levels of minority stress. Negative, significant relations between ER strategies—such as cognitive reappraisal (pooled effect size: r = -0.45, p < 0.01) and mindfulness (r = -0.21, p < 0.05) were reported, while maladaptive strategies—such as suppression (r = 0.54, p < 0.01) and rumination (r = 0.36, p < 0.05)—were associated with increased minority stress. Meta-regression analyses revealed the relation between ER and minority stress were significantly stronger in longitudinal than in cross-sectional studies. Subgroup analyses on types of minority stress (sexual/gender minority stress, race-related stress) and their relations with ER will be reported. Meta-regressions on common contextual factors (e.g., social support) will be reported and discussed. Clinical implications, such as targeting specific ER facets and minority stress in evidence-based practice, will be discussed. Secondly, suggestions for future research will be explored, focusing on measurement consensus of minority stress and ER, as well as utilizing EMA and idiographic methodology.