Emotion regulation difficulties link trait resilience and symptoms of depression and anxiety in psychiatric outpatients.

Abstract

Background: Despite negative associations of trait resilience with depression and anxiety symptoms, the mechanisms by which resilience may buffer against these symptoms remain underexplored. This study investigated emotion regulation difficulties as a potential link in the relationship between trait resilience and depression and anxiety severity in psychiatric outpatients (N = 353).

Methods: Participants diagnosed with primary depression or anxiety disorders were evaluated prior to treatment initiation with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS), and Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale (CUXOS).

Results: In the depression sample, the effect of resilience on CUDOS scores was fully mediated by total DERS scores. In the anxiety sample, the effect of resilience on CUXOS scores was partially mediated by total DERS scores. Exploratory parallel mediation analyses showed only the DERS subscale strategies had a significant effect on CUDOS scores, while only goals had a significant effect on CUXOS scores.

Conclusions: Emotion regulation difficulties are a mediator of trait resilience in psychiatric outpatients. For patients seeking treatment for depression, difficulties with accessing emotion regulation strategies may be particularly relevant, while difficulties meeting one's goals may be most relevant for patients seeking treatment for anxiety.