Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Positive Emotion Dysregulation on Risky Behavior Following Idiographic Emotion Inductions

Abstract

In the present study, we used an experimental paradigm with subjective and objective assessments to further explicate the role of positive emotion dysregulation on risky behavior. Participants were 151 community women currently experiencing intimate partner violence and using substances (age: M = 40.81 years; 30.5% Black). Participants were randomly assigned to positive, negative, and neutral idiographic emotion inductions. Subjective (state self-report) and objective (high-frequency heart rate variability [hfHRV], skin conductance response, and salivary cortisol) markers of emotion dysregulation were assessed, following which participants completed subjective (state urges for substances) and objective (Balloon Analogue Risk Task) measures of risky behavior. Results showed that (a) greater self-reported state emotion dysregulation and lower hfHRV predicted more urges for substances in the positive (vs. negative and neutral) emotion-induction condition and (b) lower hfHRV predicted more behavioral risk-taking propensity in the positive (vs. neutral) emotion-induction condition. These findings provide additional support for the influence of positive emotion dysregulation on risky behavior.