An abundance of research findings suggests that people with anxiety disorders, and mental disorders more generally, struggle to effectively regulate their emotions (Aldao, Sheppes, & Gross, 2015; Mennin, Holaway, Fresco, Moore, & Heimberg, 2007). The aim of this study is to better understand how anxiety may or may not contribute to someone’s ability to regulate their emotions. To determine your eligibility for the main online study, we ask that you complete a quick online screener. Based on your responses, we may contact you by phone for an additional, brief screening interview. Eligible participants will be invited to complete a 3-hour online study via Zoom, involving an interview, a set of questionnaires and a computerized task. Those who participate in the main study will receive financial compensation for their time and efforts. Participants will be recruited on a first-come, first-serve basis.
| Title of Project | Understanding emotion regulation with and without anxiety |
| Objective | The aim of this study is to better understand how anxiety may or may not contribute to someone’s ability to regulate their emotions. |
| Characteristics of the participants | To participate in the study, we require that you reside in Canada, be fluent in English, over the age of 18 years, and have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (e.g., eyeglasses, contact lenses). We also require that you have access to a computer or laptop with a webcam and microphone that is compatible with Zoom. Eligible participants for the main study will either 1) often feel anxious in social situations, 2) feel afraid of certain situations or things, or 3) experience little to no mental health problems. |
| Potential Risks | There is a possibility you may experience transient psychological discomfort when answering questions about your experiences with anxiety. Furthermore, you may withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. |
| End date | 30/06/22 |
| Time required to take the Survey | After completing the short 5-minute eligibility questionnaire and a 15-minute phone screening call, if you are eligible for the main study, it will take 3 hours over Zoom. |
| Survey Link | Click here to participate in the study |
| Participation Gift | There is no compensation for the online screener (i.e., this portion of the study). If you are eligible for and complete the phone interview, we will invite you to enter your name in a draw to win one of three electronic gift cards to Amazon.ca valued at $50, $30, and $20. At the end of the academic term in which you participated (i.e., Sept-Dec; Jan-April; May-Aug), names will be randomly selected among those who have entered. |
| Contact | If you have additional questions about the study, please contact the lab at [email protected] |
Background
An abundance of research findings suggests that people with anxiety disorders, and mental disorders more generally, struggle to effectively regulate their emotions (Aldao, Sheppes, & Gross, 2015; Mennin, Holaway, Fresco, Moore, & Heimberg, 2007). To date, the majority of studies on emotion regulation focus on a categorical view of ER strategies, suggesting that some ER strategies are strictly adaptive, whereas others are strictly maladaptive. Recently, researchers have challenged the notion that a strategy is inherently adaptive or maladaptive, and instead measure adaptiveness based on how and when people choose to engage in different strategies (Aldao et al., 2015).