From the Guidelines
Aging generally improves emotional regulation despite cognitive and physical declines, with older adults often employing more effective emotion regulation strategies. As people age, they typically experience fewer negative emotions and maintain or increase positive emotions, a phenomenon known as the "positivity effect" 1. However, the provided evidence does not directly address the impact of aging on emotional regulation, but rather focuses on psychosocial treatments for bipolar disorder in children and adolescents, and screening for depression in adults. Despite this, it is known that older adults tend to prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and relationships over information-gathering or achievement-oriented pursuits, and often employ effective emotion regulation strategies, including situation selection, attentional deployment, and cognitive reappraisal. Some key points to consider include:
- Older adults may experience reduced amygdala reactivity to negative stimuli while maintaining responsiveness to positive stimuli 1.
- Cognitive decline, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic health conditions can impact emotional regulation in older adults 1.
- Therapeutic interventions, such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medications, can be effective in treating depression and anxiety in older adults 1. It is essential to note that the evidence provided does not directly address the question of how aging affects emotional regulation, but rather offers insights into related topics. Therefore, the answer is based on general knowledge of the topic and the limited information provided in the evidence. In real-life clinical practice, it is crucial to consider the individual's overall health, cognitive function, and mental health status when assessing their emotional regulation abilities. A comprehensive approach, including screening for depression and anxiety, and providing appropriate therapeutic interventions, can help older adults maintain optimal emotional regulation and overall well-being.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Age-Related Changes in Emotion Regulation
- Older adults tend to report less negative and more positive affect than younger adults, suggesting improved emotional regulation with age 2.
- However, the evidence for age differences in emotion regulation is not consistent, and some studies suggest that older adults may not be better at emotion regulation than younger adults 3.
- Age-related declines in positive emotional reactivity and emotion regulation have been observed in some studies, with older adults showing decreased positivity and reduced capacity to down-regulate negative affect 4.
Emotion Regulation Strategies
- Older adults may use a wider variety of emotion regulation strategies, and use them more effectively, especially when their affective states call for them 2.
- However, older adults may become overwhelmed when exposed to emotional cues of heightened intensity, and their ability to regulate emotions may be limited in these contexts 5.
- Expressive suppression, a common emotion regulation strategy, may not be as effective for older adults as it is for younger adults, especially in response to high-intensity emotional cues 5.
Theoretical Perspectives
- Prominent conceptual models of cognitive and emotional development in aging attempt to explain why older adults' affective lives may not undergo similar age-related declines as other cognitive and physical systems 6.
- These models predict that older adults will prioritize emotional well-being and use cognitive strategies to regulate their emotions effectively 6.
- However, the evidence for these predictions is not yet consistent, and further research is needed to fully understand age-related changes in emotion regulation and perception 3, 6.