Preliminary prospective research suggests emotion dysregulation may confer vulnerability to poor stress responses. The present prospective study extends this research by examining both specific emotion regulation strategies and global emotion regulation difficulties in the context of acute stress following onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic in 119 young adults. As part of a larger study, emotion regulation was assessed prior to pandemic onset (January 2019 – February 2020) using two standard measures (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, ERQ, Gross & John, 2003; Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, DERS, Gratz & Roemer, 2004). A self-report assessment of acute stress was conducted 2−3½ weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration. Results demonstrated cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression (i.e., ERQ) were not individually predictive of acute stress; however, there was a significant interaction of suppression by reappraisal. Simple effects indicated suppression was negatively associated with acute stress only when reappraisal levels were high. Greater global emotion regulation difficulties (i.e., DERS), particularly nonacceptance of emotions and limited access to emotion regulation strategies, significantly predicted greater acute stress. These results provide further evidence of the temporal relationship between emotion dysregulation and stress reactions, and also suggest the expected effects of emotion regulation strategies may differ across contexts.

初步的前瞻性研究表明，情绪失调可能会导致对压力反应不佳的脆弱性。本前瞻性研究通过检查 119 名年轻人在 COVID-19 全球大流行病发作后的急性应激背景下的特定情绪调节策略和整体情绪调节困难来扩展这项研究。作为一项更大规模研究的一部分，在大流行病爆发前（2019 年 1 月至 2020 年 2 月）使用两种标准测量方法（情绪调节问卷，ERQ，Gross & John，2003 年；情绪调节困难量表，DERS，Gratz & Roemer）评估了情绪调节, 2004). 在宣布 COVID-19 大流行后 2-3.5 周进行了急性压力的自我报告评估。结果表明认知重新评估和表达抑制（即，ERQ) 不能单独预测急性应激；然而，重新评估抑制之间存在显着的相互作用。简单效应表明，仅当重新评估水平较高时，抑制与急性应激呈负相关。更大的整体情绪调节困难（即 DERS），特别是对情绪的不接受和情绪调节策略的使用受限，显着预示着更大的急性压力。这些结果进一步证明了情绪失调与压力反应之间的时间关系，并且还表明情绪调节策略的预期效果可能因情境而异。简单效应表明，仅当重新评估水平较高时，抑制与急性应激呈负相关。更大的整体情绪调节困难（即 DERS），特别是对情绪的不接受和情绪调节策略的使用受限，显着预示着更大的急性压力。这些结果进一步证明了情绪失调与压力反应之间的时间关系，并且还表明情绪调节策略的预期效果可能因情境而异。简单效应表明，仅当重新评估水平较高时，抑制与急性应激呈负相关。更大的整体情绪调节困难（即 DERS），特别是对情绪的不接受和情绪调节策略的使用受限，显着预示着更大的急性压力。这些结果进一步证明了情绪失调与压力反应之间的时间关系，并且还表明情绪调节策略的预期效果可能因情境而异。