Interpersonal Emotion Regulation in Young Adults With Low and High Psychosis Proneness: A Diary Study

Purpose

Emotion regulation is a complex process that often involves the presence of others, also known as interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). However, little is known about how psychotic symptoms relate to IER. We investigated whether young adults with elevated psychosis proneness engage in IER less frequently and find it less helpful than those with low psychosis proneness.

Methods

Psychosis-prone young adults with attenuated negative (PP-NES, n = 37) and positive symptoms (PP-POS, n = 20) and a low psychosis-prone control group (CG, n = 52) were recruited based on a priori defined cut-offs for the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences. Participants provided daily diaries over one week, reporting negative symptoms, paranoia, positive and negative affect, and the frequency and efficacy of IER strategies to upregulate positive and downregulate negative emotions.

Results

Multilevel models showed that PP-NES reported using IER less frequently and found it less effective compared to CG. PP-POS reported turning to others for advice in distressing situations more than the CG. These group differences were related to aberrant affect levels in PP-NES. Across groups, participants used IER less on days on which they reported more negative symptoms and used it more on days on which they reported more paranoia.

Conclusions

These findings suggest symptom-specific aberrations in everyday IER in psychosis-prone young adults. Moreover, from day to day, young adults (psychosis-prone or not) appear to adjust their use of IER depending on current social motivation and distress levels. Future research should investigate whether these aberrations are dysfunctional regarding social inclusion and symptom trajectories.