The link between emotion identification skills and socio-emotional functioning in early adolescence: A 1-year longitudinal study
Ciarrochi, Joseph Heaven, Patrick Charles Lionel Supavadeeprasit, Sunila
Ciarrochi, Joseph
Heaven, Patrick Charles Lionel
Supavadeeprasit, Sunila
Abstract
Amongst adults, low emotion identification skill (EIS) relates to poor emotion regulation strategies, higher rates of anxiety and depression, and higher rates of somatic illness and disease [Taylor, G. J., & Bagby, R. M. (2004). New trends in alexithymia research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 73, 68–77]. Little research has examined EIS in adolescence and, in particular, the longitudinal impact of EIS on social support and affective experience. Six hundred and sixty-seven high school students completed measures of EIS, social support and positive and negative affects in Grade 8, and again in Grade 9. Repeated measure ANOVAS revealed that negative affect increased and positive affect decreased from Grades 8 to 9. Structural equation modelling revealed that low EIS predicted increases in fear, decreases in positive affect, and decreases in the quality and quantity of social support. Amongst boys, low EIS also predicted increases in sadness. We discuss the implications of these findings for early prevention programmes.
Keywords
alexithymia, difficulty identifying feelings, adolescents, well-being, emotions, longitudinal, social support, emotion identification skill, affective experience
Date
2008
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of Adolescence
Book
Volume
31
Issue
5
Page Range
565-582
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts