Sense of purpose and emotion regulation strategy use: A mini-review with directions for future research

Abstract

Individuals with a stronger sense of purpose in life consistently exhibit less anxiety and depressive symptoms, in part due to their reduced reactivity to stressful situations. However, the affective, behavioral, and cognitive mechanisms underlying these associations remain somewhat unclear. The current brief review addresses this concern with respect to how sense of purpose may be associated with emotion regulation strategy use. Although relatively nascent, the emerging literature suggests that emotion regulation strategies may be integral to living a purposeful life. Our review highlights that while some strategies, such as cognitive reappraisal, have been consistently connected to a sense of purpose, others, including situation selection, merit further attention from the research literature. The brief review concludes by highlighting directions for future research, including the observation of whether a sense of purpose relates to polyregulation, as well as how individuals employ emotion regulation strategies in their daily lives.