Date created: | Last Updated:

Category: Project

Description: This synthesis examined whether improvements in ER skills were associated with psychological treatment outcomes for depression and/or anxiety in youth aged 14-24. ER skills were categorized in three ways: emotion dysregulation; disengagement ER skills (e.g., suppression); and engagement ER skills (e.g., cognitive reappraisal). A multivariate meta-analysis using 385 effect sizes from 90 randomized-controlled trials revealed that psychological treatments significantly reduced depression, anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and disengagement ER skills; engagement ER skills also increased. Reductions in depression and anxiety were positively associated with improved engagement ER skills, decreased emotion dysregulation, and decreased disengagement ER skills. Sensitivity analyses were conducted wherein study selection and publication bias were also considered.