Emotional self-regulation

Emotional self-regulation or emotion regulation is the ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with the range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable and sufficiently flexible to permit spontaneous reactions as well as the ability to delay spontaneous reactions as needed. It can also be defined as extrinsic and intrinsic processes responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions. Emotional self-regulation belongs to the broader set of emotion-regulation processes, which includes both the regulation of one's own feelings and the process of helping others regulate their emotions.

Definition and Elements

Emotional self-regulation is a complex process that involves initiating, inhibiting, or modulating one's state or behavior in a given situation. It includes three elements:

• Knowing what one is feeling and knowing what one's feelings mean.
• Being able to manage one's feelings and turn them into appropriate behavior (e.g., managing stress instead of lashing out).
• Being able to motivate oneself to get things done.

Development of Emotional Self-Regulation

Development of emotional self-regulation is a complex process that begins in the early years of life and continues into adulthood. The development of these skills is closely linked with the development of other social-emotional skills, such as empathy, social understanding, and the ability to form and maintain relationships.

Strategies for Emotional Self-Regulation

There are several strategies that individuals can use to manage their emotions. These include:

• Cognitive reappraisal, which involves changing one's interpretation of a situation to alter its emotional impact.
• Expressive suppression, which involves inhibiting the expression of emotions.
• Mindfulness, which involves focusing one's attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgment.

Role in Mental Health

Emotional self-regulation plays a crucial role in mental health. Difficulty with emotional regulation is a feature of many mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders.

See Also

• Emotion regulation in children
• Emotion regulation therapy
• Emotion-focused therapy
• Emotion in animals