Kanako Uchida

SOCIAL SUPPORT MEDIATING BETWEEN COPING BY EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION AND DEPRESSION

The present purpose was to investigate the effects of social support on the relationship between coping by expressing emotions and depression in women. Japanese undergraduate students (N = 218) completed four self-report questionnaires: the dispositional and situational versions of the Emotional Coping Questionnaire which measures the mode of expression as being either to self as in a diary or to others as in telling a friend, the Social Support Scale to evaluate received support, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale. Analysis showed that expression of emotions to self in both dispositional and situational coping had significant positive correlations with depression, especially for women who scored high on depression, and expression of emotions to others in both dispositional and situational coping were significantly positively correlated with social support. However, no significant mediation effects of social support in emotional expression and depression were found. Limitations and topics for research are discussed.

Relation of Positive Affect with Emotion-Focused Coping in Japanese Undergraduates

This study examined the relationships between coping and positive affect and sex differences in those relationships, focusing on emotional expression as an emotion-focused coping strategy. Undergraduates (193 men and 225 women) completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression to assess positive affect by using the Positive Affect subscale and the General Coping Questionnaire for measurement of coping. Analysis showed a positive relationship between positive affect and both problem-solving and cognitive reinterpretation, but only for men, while a positive relation between positive affect and emotional expression was found only for women. Also there were no interactions of emotional expression and other coping strategies, such as problem-solving, cognitive reinterpretation, and emotional support-seeking, on positive affect. These findings provide evidence to suggest that the relationship between positive affect and coping should be examined by sex.

Effects of positive and negative affect and emotional suppression on short-term life satisfaction

Relationships between emotional experiences and health and adjustment are influenced by many variables, with emotional suppression (ES) being one of the most influential factors. In the current study, we examined the effects of affect and ES on short-term life satisfaction (LS) measured over the previous week. We also considered the dimension of activation status for both positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). The final sample included data collected from 398 undergraduates (184 men and 214 women). Participants answered six questionnaires, two of which were used for another study. All of the tests were of Japanese versions and were answered with regard to the previous weeks experiences. Results showed that LS was positively associated with PA and negatively with NA, but that the positive association was stronger for activated PA than deactivated PA, while the negative association was stronger for deactivated NA than activated NA. Furthermore, an interactive effect between deactivated NA and ES on LS was significant in men, where post hoc tests demonstrated that deactivated NA was more negatively associated with LS when ES was higher. This study suggests that activated and deactivated affect differ in their effects on LS. In addition, it is likely that the detrimental effect of deactivated NA on LS is larger when NA is more strongly suppressed. The necessity of interventional research along with the limitations of this study is discussed for future research.

An intervention study of the relations of positive affect to the coping strategy of 'finding positive meaning' and health

This study examined the relations of positive affect (PA) to the coping strategy of ‘finding positive meaning’ and to health. Participants in the intervention group (29 university students) wrote about a happy event once a week in an experimental room and noted happy events each day as homework for four consecutive weeks. In addition, they received a small present each time they left the room after writing. Participants in the control group (29 university students) wrote about and noted trivial neutral events instead of happy events, and they did not receive any small presents. Results showed that PA induced by this manipulation did not significantly enhance coping but did significantly improve health status on several self-report scales.

P02-109 - Effects of positive and negative affect and emotional supression on short-term life satisfaction and depression: Considering activation of affect

Objectives We examined the effects of affect and emotional suppression (ES) on short-term life satisfaction (LS) and depression. In doing so, we considered the dimension of activation for positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). Methods The final sample included the data collected from 496 undergraduate and graduate students (240 men and 256 women). Participants answered seven questionnaires for assessing activated PA and NA, ES of PA and NA, short-term LS, and depression, three of which were used for another study. All of them were Japanese versions, answered on the past week. Results Results from hierarchical regression analyses showed that LS was positively associated with PA and negatively with NA, but that its positive association was stronger in activated PA than deactivated PA while its negative association was stronger in deactivated NA than activated NA. Similar findings were obtained for depression. The significant interactions suggested: (1) higher scores of ES of PA weaken the positive association between activated PA and LS in both sexes; (2) higher scores of ES of NA strengthen the negative association between activated NA and LS in men and weaken the association in women; and (3) the positive association between activated NA and depression is weakened by higher scores of ES of NA in women. Conclusion This study suggested that activated and deactivated affect differ in their relations to life satisfaction and depression. Moreover, it is likely that although ES of PA and NA influences health, its effects would be different between men and women.

PW01-130 - Effects of positive and negative affect and emotional suppression on short-term life satisfaction

Objectives We examined the effects of affect and emotional suppression (ES) on short-term life satisfaction (LS). In doing so, we considered the dimension of activation for positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). Methods The final sample included the data collected from 398 students (184 men and 214 women). The mean ages were 19.15 yrs for men and 19.84 yrs for women. Participants answered six questionnaires two of which were used for another study. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule was utilized for assessing activated PA and NA, two subscales of the Multiple Mood Scale to measure deactivated PA and NA, respectively, one subscale of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for gauzing ES, and the Short-term Life Satisfaction Scale for LS. All of them were Japanese versions, answered on the past week. Results Results showed that LS was positively associated with PA and negatively with NA, but that its positive association was stronger in activated PA than deactivated PA while its negative association was stronger in deactivated NA than activated NA. The interaction between deactivated NA and ES was significant in men, whose post-hoc tests suggested that deactivated NA was more negatively associated with LS when ES was higher. Conclusion This study suggested that activated and deactivated affect differ in their relations to life satisfaction. Moreover, it is likely that the detrimental effect of NA on life satisfaction is larger when the expression of NA is more strongly suppressed.

EPA-0220 - Effects of positive and negative affect on depression: considering the acivation dimention of affect

Objectives When we attempt to scrutinize the phenomena relating affect and health, we need to consider the activation dimension of positive and negative affect (PA and NA). In this study, after developing a scale to assess affect, we examined the effects of activated and deactivated PA and NA on depression and short-term life satisfaction (LS). Methods Participants were 496 undergraduate and graduate students (240 men and 256 women). They completed three questionnaires for assessing affect, depression, and short-term LS, respectively. In order to test the validity of the Activated and Deactivated Affect Questionnaire (ADAQ) that was developed in this study, the other two questionnaires were administered. Results In the ADAQ, four factors, activated and deactivated PA and NA, were identified alongside sufficient internal consistency and concurrent validity. Results from hierarchical regression analyses showed that depression was negatively associated with PA and positively with NA, while LS was positively associated with PA and negatively with NA. These associations were found regardless of the levels of affect activation. Moreover, a number of significant PA x NA interactions revealed: (1) activated PA was negatively associated with depression, but this association was stronger with higher activated NA; and (2) regarding the effects on LS, the positive association between activated PA (or deactivated PA) and activated NA (or deactivated NA) was stronger with lower activated (or deactivated) NA. Conclusion This study suggests that the activation level of affect and relations of PA and NA would be differently influential on health and adjustment.

EPA-0314 – Effects of suppression of positive and negative emotions on depression

Objectives We need to consider both suppression of positive and negative emotions (PE and NE) in examining the effects of emotional suppression (ES) on health and adjustment. The purpose of study was to develop a new emotional suppression scale to measure suppression of PE and NE, and to examine the effects of emotional suppression of PE and NE on depression and short-term life satisfaction (LS). Method Participants were 496 undergraduate and graduate students (240 men and 256 women). They completed three questionnaires for assessing ES, depression, and short-term LS, along with a questionnaire to test the validity of the Emotional Suppression Scale for Positive and Negative Emotions (ESS) that was developed in this study. Results First, we confirmed two factors in the ESS, named as ‘suppression of PE’ and ‘suppression of NE.’ The alphas were .69 and .73 for men and .69 and .76 for women, respectively. And it was revealed that each subscale of the ESS has concurrent validity. Thereafter, hierarchical regression analyses showed that higher suppression of PE was associated with lower LS and higher depression. Meanwhile, suppression of NE did not show any significant associations with health and adjustment, which was inconsistent with previous findings. Moreover, no significant interactions between suppression of PE and NE were found. Conclusion In this study, the ESS was developed with factorial and concurrent validities. Moreover, this study suggests that the effects of emotional suppression on health and adjustment would be different depending on what type of emotions is suppressed.

PW01-127 - Relationship between affect and short-term life satisfaction: considering activation and balance of affect

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between affect and short-term life satisfaction (LS) taking into account the dimension of activation for positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) and the balance of PA and NA. Methods The study included 398 students (184 men and 214 women) who completed six questionnaires three of which were used for another study. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule was utilized for assessing activated PA and NA. Two subscales of the Multiple Mood Scale were used to measure deactivated PA and NA, and the Short-term Life Satisfaction Scale for LS. Correlation analyses and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to mainly examine the relationships between affect balance (PA-NA and PA/NA) and LS. Results The results of correlation analyses showed that LS was positively associated with affect balance in both activated and deactivated dimension. Additionally, the hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed a significant interaction between activated PA and NA, which indicated that the relationship between activated PA and LS in women was strengthened when the level of activated NA was relatively lower. Conclusion The findings in this study suggested that students who have stronger PA compared to NA might feel high LS in both activated and deactivated dimension. Moreover, it was suggested that the profitable effect of activated PA on LS in women would be larger when their activated NA was relatively weakened.