Exploring the Relations Between Emotion Regulation within a Narrative Context and Adolescent Well-being! ! Open Access

Abstract

Abstract
Exploring the Relations between Emotion Regulation within a Narrative Context and Adolescent
Well-being
By Hannah Jones
In this study, I examined the relations between emotion regulation within narratives about
negative events and adolescent socio-emotional well-being. Narratives allow individuals to
reflect on and create meaning from their past experiences (McAdams, 1992). Therefore,
examining emotion regulation within narratives allows researchers to understand the mechanism
by which individuals incorporate emotional events into their lives. Although previous research in
adult populations has consistently shown that emotional expression and well-being are related
(Pennebaker & Chung, 2007), research in children and adolescent populations has yielded mixed
results (Reynolds, Brewin, & Saxton, 2000; Fivush, Marin, Crawford, Reynolds, & Brewin,
2007). Interestingly, Bohanek and Fivush (in press) found that, in adolescence, the effects of
sharing a negative emotional event might be gender based. In this study, I re-analyzed the
narratives initially examined by Bohanek and Fivush (in press), and developed a new coding
scheme that captures the emotional intensity and coping strategies used in the narratives. Girls
produced narratives higher in emotional intensity than boys, and expressed a greater number and
greater variety of coping strategies in their narratives. However, there were no relations between
the narrative variables and emotional adjustment. Possible explanations for these findings and
suggestions for future research are discussed.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
I. Introduction 1
Emotion Regulation 4
Narrative Context 14
Hypotheses 19
II. Method 20
Participants 20
Procedure 21
Coding 25
III. Results 27
IV. Discussion 34
V. References 45
VI. Tables and Figures 53
Table 1- Intensity Coding 53
Table 2- Coping Strategy Coding 56
Table 3- Means for all Narratives 59
Table 4- Frequency of Coping Strategies 60
Table 5- Correlations between Narrative Content 61
Table 6- Correlations between Well-being Measures 62
Table 7- Correlations between Narrative Content and Well-being Measures 63
Figure 1- Means for Coping Strategy Use 64
VII. Appendix 65
Appendix A- Sample Narrative of an Eighth Grade Male 65
Appendix B- Sample Narrative of a Tenth Grade Male 66
Appendix C- Sample Narrative of an Eighth Grade Female 67
Appendix D- Sample Narrative of a Tenth Grade Female 68

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Psychology
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, General Psychology, Developmental
Keyword	emotion regulation narratives adolescence coping strategies emotional intensity
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Fivush, Robyn, Emory University
Committee Members	Goodman, Sherryl H, Emory University Ristaino, Christine, Emory University

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