The Association of Emotion Regulation and Somatic Symptoms 2024 Petzke and Witthöft

Abstract

Objective
People with functional somatic symptoms have difficulties in various stages of the emotion regulation (ER) process (1). As an adaptive and flexible use of ER strategies is a core tenet of emotional health, having difficulties in this area is often assumed to be the key mechanism behind functional somatic symptoms. Following a dimensional population-based sampling approach, we investigated emotion regulation abilities across a broad range of people and tested possible associations with somatic symptom reporting, habitual ER use as well as various subclinical constructs (such as alexithymia and anxiety).

Methods
In a sample of N = 254 persons, somatic symptom distress (PHQ-15, HiTOP somatoform spectrum), trait emotion regulation facets (ERQ, ERS) as well as the emotion regulation abilities (suppression and reappraisal) were assessed. Correlations (frequentist and Bayesian), ANOVAs, and Structural Equation Models were used to analyze the data.

Results
Correlational and SEM analyses revealed that general symptom severity (both on the somatoform HiTOP and PHQ-15) was not significantly associated with emotion regulation effectiveness, general arousal, or general valence. The sensory component of pain symptoms (r = − .708, p = .023), as well as health anxiety (r = − .443, p = .028) were significantly negatively associated with effective emotion regulation.

Conclusions
Emotion regulation effectiveness appears independent of general somatic symptom distress. We make recommendations for clinical interventions in light of these complex findings.

Paywall, https://journals.lww.com/psychosoma...on_of_emotion_regulation_and_somatic.212.aspx

 

Well this sure is some jumble of random questions and correlations that don't support a common meme, but as is tradition:



Their recommendation is literally that they want more money to do the same thing again. Good grief. There really is a money tree somewhere, it just dispenses funds in some places and not others.