Individual differences in negative affect repair style

Abstract

Two studies (ns = 422, 263) examined individual differences in repair styles, in which strategies habitually used to repair negative affect depend on shared underlying features. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed two repair styles organized around the use of adaptive, engagement strategies (adaptive engagement style) or maladaptive, avoidance strategies (maladaptive avoidance style). This two-factor structure fit the data better than several theoretically derived models; both repair styles were highly stable across 3 months and associated with personality, emotional intelligence, state and trait repair efforts, and adaptation. Findings add to the extant affect regulation literature and suggest directions for future research.