Helping Others Regulate Emotion Predicts Increased Regulation of One’s Own Emotions and Decreased Symptoms of Depression
Abstract
Although much research considers how individuals manage their own emotions, less is known about the emotional benefits of regulating the emotions of others. We examined this topic in a 3-week study of an online platform providing training and practice in the social regulation of emotion. We found that participants who engaged more by helping others (vs. sharing and receiving support for their own problems) showed greater decreases in depression, mediated by increased use of reappraisal in daily life. Moreover, social regulation messages with more other-focused language (i.e., second-person pronouns) were (a) more likely to elicit expressions of gratitude from recipients and (b) predictive of increased use of reappraisal over time for message composers, suggesting perspective-taking enhances the benefits of practicing social regulation. These findings unpack potential mechanisms of socially oriented training in emotion regulation and suggest that by helping others regulate, we may enhance our own regulatory skills and emotional well-being.
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- Authors
- Doré, B. P., Morris, R. R., Burr, D. A., Picard, R. W., & Ochsner, K. N.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Doré, Bruce P.
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-03-20
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 729-739
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2602526266
- Cited by
- 111
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 12.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (PAR-11-126)
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG043463-01)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- emotion regulation, helping behavior, depressive symptoms, cognitive reappraisal, perspective taking, gratitude, self-regulation
- MeSH terms
- Self-Control, Adolescent, Adult, Depression, Emotions, Female, Helping Behavior, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Social Adjustment, Young Adult
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