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Interpersonal Emotion Regulation: A Review of Social and Developmental Components

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2018

Abigail L. Barthel
Affiliation:
Boston University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Aleena Hay
Affiliation:
Boston University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Stacey N. Doan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California, USA
Stefan G. Hofmann*
Affiliation:
Boston University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Stefan G. Hofmann, Boston University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Email: shofmann@bu.edu

Abstract

A staple theme in clinical psychology, emotion regulation, or the ability to manage one's emotions, is directly linked with personal wellbeing and the ability to effectively navigate the social world. Until recently, this concept has been limited to a focus on intrapersonal processes, such as suppression. Less emphasis has been placed on developmental, social, and cultural aspects of emotion regulation. We argue here that as social beings, our engagement in emotion regulation may often occur interpersonally, with trusted others helping us to regulate our emotions. This review will highlight recent research on interpersonal emotion regulation processes.

Type
Standard Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

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