Symposium 14 - Emotion Regulation: Bridging Empirical Evidence and Clinical Innovations In Diverse Contexts

Chair(s)

• 

  Danielle Mathersul, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Murdoch University
  Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Discussant(s)

• KP

  Kate Petrova, B.A., M.A. (she/her/hers)

  Stanford University
  Stanford, California, United States

Presenter(s)

• 

  Natalia Van Doren, Ph.D.

  NIDA T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  UCSF
  San Francisco, California, United States
• 

  Kristin Gainey, Ph.D., PsyM (she/her/hers)

  Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist
  University of Western Australia
  Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 

  Danielle Mathersul, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Murdoch University
  Perth, Western Australia, Australia

This symposium advances scientific understanding of how emotion regulation (ER) operates as a transdiagnostic mechanism in mental health, highlighting its role in prevention and treatment across diverse populations and contexts. Collectively, the four talks examine ER from complementary angles: considering variability in strategy use, the role of emotion beliefs, treatment-driven improvements, and the critical issue of measurement validity across cultures and gender. By using rigorous and varied methodologies such as ecological momentary assessment and randomised controlled trials, these approaches provide nuanced insights into how ER processes operate in everyday life and clinical settings, informing implementation of evidence-based interventions across diverse populations and contexts.

This research emphasises inclusivity by comparing culture and gender effects and by recruiting community samples spanning individuals with and without psychological disorders, adults across the lifespan, individuals with co-occurring clinical presentations who are often excluded from mental health treatment research. Findings underscore that ER effectiveness depends on context-sensitive strategy selection, which in turn is influenced by beliefs about emotions. Importantly, ER measures show largely consistent factor structures across American and Indian samples and across gender. Together, these findings have significant implications for tailoring interventions to diverse populations, ensuring that treatments address not only skill acquisition but also cognitive frameworks that shape regulation choices.

This symposium research aligns with priorities for enhancing health and well-being through behavioural and cognitive science. It promotes innovation by integrating real-time assessments and competency-based measures and supports accessible, evidence-based intervention delivery by utilising telehealth and identifying mechanisms that optimise outcomes. Together, these studies inform scalable strategies for improving ER, reducing mental health disparities, and strengthening relationships between researchers, clinicians, and communities.

Presentations:

• 2:06 PM - 2:27 PM PDT

  (SYM 14) Do Emotion Regulation Processes Vary by Gender or Culture?
  

  Speaker: Natalia Van Doren, Ph.D. – UCSF

  Co-Author: Nur Hani Zainal, M.S., Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – National University of Singapore

  Co-Author: Michelle G. Newman, B.S., M.A., Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – The Pennsylvania State University
• 2:27 PM - 2:48 PM PDT

  (SYM 14) Does Emotion Regulation Variability Promote Wellbeing in Clinical Populations?
  

  Speaker: Kristin Gainey, Ph.D., PsyM (she/her/hers) – University of Western Australia

  Co-Author: Jocelyn Y. M. Kwan, BS – University of Western Australia

  Co-Author: Kenneth G. DeMarree, PhD – University at Buffalo

  Co-Author: Michael Kyron, Ph.D. – University of Western Australia
• 3:09 PM - 3:30 PM PDT

  (SYM 14) Does Emotion Regulation Improve Following Either CBT or Yoga for Transdiagnostic Emotional Disorders?
  

  Speaker: Danielle C. Mathersul, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Murdoch University