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Age and Gender Differences in Emotion Regulation Strategies: Autobiographical Memory, Rumination, Problem Solving and Distraction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Jorge Javier Ricarte Trives ,
Beatriz Navarro Bravo ,
José Miguel Latorre Postigo ,
Laura Ros Segura  and
Ed Watkins
Jorge Javier Ricarte Trives
Affiliation:
Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
Beatriz Navarro Bravo*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
José Miguel Latorre Postigo
Affiliation:
Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
Laura Ros Segura
Affiliation:
Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
Ed Watkins
Affiliation:
University of Exeter (UK)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed Beatriz Navarro Bravo. Departamento de Psicología. Facultad de Medicina. Calle Almansa 14. 02006. Albacete (Spain). E-mail: Beatriz.Navarro@uclm.es
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Abstract

Our study tested the hypothesis that older adults and men use more adaptive emotion regulatory strategies but fewer negative emotion regulatory strategies than younger adults and women. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that rumination acts as a mediator variable for the effect of age and gender on depression scores. Differences in rumination, problem solving, distraction, autobiographical recall and depression were assessed in a group of young adults (18–29 years) compared to a group of older adults (50–76 years). The older group used more problem solving and distraction strategies when in a depressed state than their younger counterparts (ps < .05). The younger participants reported more rumination (p < .01). Women scored higher in depression scores and lower in distraction than men (ps < .05). There were no significant effects of age, gender, or interaction of age by gender on the recall of specific autobiographical memories (ps > .06). Ordinary least squares regression analyses with bootstrapping showed that rumination mediated the association between age, gender and depression scores. These results suggest that older adults and men select more adaptive strategies to regulate emotions than young adults and women with rumination acting as a significant mediator variable in the association between age, gender, and depression.

Keywords

agingdepressiongenderrumination
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 19 , 2016 , E43
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2016 

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