Emotion Regulation Strategies Predict PTSS During the COVID-19 Pandemic in an American Indian Population.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Poor emotion regulation is associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, limited prospective research prevents any directional conclusions. No known studies have assessed emotion regulation with PTSS in American Indians, a high-risk population for poor mental health outcomes. The present prospective study explored whether emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression) predicted later PTSS related to the COVID-19 global pandemic in a solely American Indian sample.

Methods

American Indian participants (N?=?210; Mean (SD) age?=?54.85(13.08) years, 58.7% female) completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) during Phase 1 (a few weeks before pandemic declaration) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic during Phase 2 (7-8 weeks after pandemic declaration). Bivariate correlations and hierarchical linear regression analyses were utilized.

Results

ERQ reappraisal was negatively associated with IES-R total scores, such that higher reappraisal predicted lower PTSS. In contrast, ERQ suppression was positively associated with IES-R total scores, such that higher suppression predicted higher PTSS.

Conclusions

Greater suppression and lower reappraisal predicts PTSS in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in an entirely American Indian sample, providing critical information for future interventions in a population at high-risk for mental health disparities.

SUBMITTER: Tyra AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7870357 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature