Abstract

VAZ, Filipa Machado; MARTINS, Carla  and  MARTINS, Eva Costa. Emotional differentiation and emotion regulation in Portuguese adults. Psicologia [online]. 2008, vol.22, n.2, pp.123-135. ISSN 0874-2049.

This empirical study as well as aimed at characterizing adults’ emotional repertoire and differentiation, as well as emotional regulation strategies, and assessing how these vary as a function of socio-demographic characteristics. It also focused on the relationship between emotional repertoire and differentiation and emotional regulation. A sample of 824 adults aged 18 to 65 years answered two self-reports, the Range and Differentiation of Emotional Experience Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Results showed that higher emotional repertoire and differentiation is associated with lower emotional suppression. Additionally, higher emotional differentiation is coupled wih higher cognitive reappraisal. No gender differences were found in terms of emotional repertoire and differentiation, but males use more emotional suppression. Finally, individuals with lower educational lever report lower emotional repertoire than individuals with higher educational level and use more both emotional regulation strategies.

Keywords : Emotions; emotional differenciation; emotion regulation; adulthood.

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