A systematic review of correlates of negative mood regulation expectancies

Negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE) are associated with different kinds of affect, different behaviors, and various psychological and physiological characteristics. However, the extent to which they are related to particular areas of physiological or psychological functioning has not been determined yet. The purpose of this review was to systematically identify the variables associated with NMRE in correlational studies. Forty studies met the criteria and were included in the narrative synthesis. NMRE correlates were classified into five categories: (1) affect; (2) coping, adjustment, and emotion regulation; (3) attachment and relationships; (4) psychological and physiological symptoms; (5) general characteristics and psychological resources. There is strong evidence of a relationship between NMRE and affect, and high NMRE are often associated with low depression and low anxiety. Many studies show a positive relationship between NMRE and adaptive coping and a negative relationship of NMRE to maladaptive situational coping and somatic symptoms. Mixed results were found for the relationships of NMRE to stress and social desirability. This review shows which NMRE correlates have rarely been studied and can guide further research. Understanding the correlations between NMRE and various psychological and physiological factors is the first step to planning research on cause-and-effect mechanisms and to designing health-related interventions.