Association of Positive, Negative, and Disorganized Schizotypy with Interpersonal Emotion Regulation

Schizotypy is a multidimensional construct that encompasses a spectrum of symptoms and impairments ranging from subclinical to clinical (Kwapil & Barrantes-Vidal, 2015). Schizotypy offers a useful and unifying construct in that it provides a model for understanding the etiology, development, and expression of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (Barrantes-Vidal & Kwapil, 2023). The heterogeneity of schizotypy can be captured in a multidimensional structure that includes positive (psychotic-like), negative (deficit), and disorganized schizotypy dimensions. By conceptualizing schizotypy as a multidimensional, rather than unidimensional construct, we can evaluate differential and hypothesized patterns of associations with symptoms, traits, and impairments to create a more well-rounded picture of schizotypy. Emotion regulation is a process by which people can influence their emotions, when they experience these emotions, and how they experience and express them (Gross, 1998). The adaptive use of emotion regulation strategies can assist people in successfully and efficiently navigating the challenges that they face in their lives. However, maladaptive or dysregulated use of these strategies can lead to distress and difficulties. Recurrent deficiencies in adequately regulating emotions are risk factors and characteristics of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (Henry et al., 2009). In addition, beliefs about the controllability and usefulness of emotions vary within the schizophrenia spectrum (Bahlinger et al., 2023; Berglund et al., 2023). Berglund et al. (in press) has also found differential patterns of the schizotypy dimensions with emotion regulation strategies and emotional awareness. However, studies generally have not examined the association of multidimensional schizotypy with interpersonal forms of emotion regulation. Interpersonal emotion regulation focuses on the involvement of others to regulate emotions. Hofmann et al. (2016) created the Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (IERQ) to measure the use of four isolated interpersonal emotion regulation strategies: enhancing positive affect, perspective taking, soothing, and social modeling. The primary goal of this study is to investigate the association of multidimensional schizotypy with interpersonal emotion regulation. In addition, the study seeks to replicate the associations of schizotypy with traditional emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), and emotional beliefs in a nonclinically ascertained sample of young adults. As an exploratory goal, the study also examines the association of interpersonal emotion regulation with traditional domains of emotion regulation and beliefs.