The effect of affective temperament traits on emotion regulation difficulties

Abstract

Objective: Emotion regulation difficulties play an important role in determining psychopathology and quality of life. They are related to several biological and environmental factors such as gender, temperament and attachment. Affective temperaments are subclinical trait-like features that represent liability to affective disorders. In our study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between affective temperament traits and emotion regulation difficulties in university students and also show what kind of emotional difficulties was experienced in individuals with dominant affective temperament traits. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study with university students. All participants were randomly selected and filled out a sociodemographic data form, TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis,Pisa,Paris,Sarı Diego Autoquestionnaire) Temperament Questionnaire, Relationship Scale and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Multiple regression analyses were conducted by using gender and attachment style as covariate. Results: 194 university students participated in our study. 37.6% of the participants are men and mean age is 20.88 ±1.33. The regression analysis revealed that Anxious temperament predicted non-acceptance, impulsivity and strategies while depressive temperament predicted non-acceptance and cyclothymic temperament predicted clarity subdomains of emotion regulation difficulties. While cyclothymic, anxious and hyperthymic temperament traits were found to be significant in determining total emotion regulation difficulties, hyperthymic temperament traits were found to be negatively related with emotion regulation difficulties. Discussion: Affective temperament traits constitute a spectrum from healthy to clinical diagnosis.Identifying in which type of emotional difficulties in individuals with dominant affective temperament trait experience difficulties seems important in order to reveal interventions that will increase the quality of life of these individuals.