The Critical (and Neglected) Role of Effort in Emotion Regulation

Abstract

When people feel bad, how much effort should they invest to make themselves feel better? Should they try harder, or might this even make matters worse? In other domains of self-regulation, effort contributes to goal-related behaviors and success. However, it is unclear whether, when, or for whom effort is beneficial, irrelevant, or harmful for emotion regulation success and psychological health. In this article, building on theories of motivation, we first discuss how and when effort determines success in emotion regulation and review relevant empirical evidence. We then provide an analysis of two key factors that might predict effort in emotion regulation. Finally, we highlight open questions and future directions.