TRANSACTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG COGNITIVE VULNERABILITIES, EMOTIONAL REGULATION DIFFICULTIES, AND INTERNALISING SYMPTOMS IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Adolescence is a crucial developmental period marked with intense emotions and greater psychological vulnerability. Cognitive vulnerabilities and emotion regulation (ER) difficulties have been found to be associated with internalising problems. To date, there is a paucity of research investigating the associations between these two transdiagnostic risk factors. The current study aims to investigate the transactional relationships among ER difficulties, cognitive vulnerabilities, and internalising symptoms over a period of one year, while accounting for antecedent covariates (gender, perfectionism, parenting involvement). Data was collected from 400 secondary one students in Singapore. The overall model was tested using structural equation modelling and autoregressive cross lagged model methods. Transactional relationships were elucidated between ER difficulties and cognitive vulnerabilities, and between cognitive vulnerabilities and internalising symptoms. Cognitive vulnerabilities fully mediate the path from ER difficulties to internalising problems. The findings were clinically informative in elucidating the psychological processes contributing to the ontogeny and chronicity of internalising problems. It also provides an empirical basis for the importance of addressing ER difficulties and cognitive vulnerabilities concurrently in psychological therapy.