Emotion dysregulation modulates the relation between emotional intensity and biological stress dysregulation among community women experiencing intimate partner violence

Abstract

Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) are exposed to chronic stress. Stress has well-documented adverse effects on a range of health outcomes, particularly among women. The current study utilized rigorous methodology to advance understanding of stress dysregulation in women experiencing IPV. Specifically, we examined whether emotion dysregulation moderated the association between negative emotional intensity and HPA-axis dysfunction derived from hair cortisol (i.e., hyperactivity or excess cortisol production). The final sample included 95 women who were recruited from the community (M_age = 41.01; 44.6 % Black, Indigenous, or other Person of Color). Women reported on negative emotional intensity and emotion dysregulation three times a day for 30 days, and average (i.e., within-person mean) negative emotional intensity and emotion dysregulation scores were calculated. A hair sample was provided immediately following this 30-day period during a follow-up interview. We found that the relation between negative emotional intensity and hair cortisol levels was significant among women who reported high (but not low) emotion dysregulation. These findings advance research on the sustained (chronic) relations among negative emotional intensity, emotion dysregulation, and HPA-axis dysfunction, and underscore the need for additional research in this area.