Such reactions not only deviate from accepted social norms but also surpass what is informally deemed appropriate or proportional to the encountered stimuli.
Damage to the frontal cortices of the brain can cause deficits in behavior that can severely impact an individual's ability to manage their daily life.
Emotion dysregulation can lead to behavioral problems and can interfere with a person's social interactions and relationships at home, in school, or at their place of employment.
Children of parents with symptoms of depression are less likely to learn strategies for regulating their emotions and are at risk of inheriting a mood disorder.
Current research indicates that parent-child relationships characterized by less affection and greater hostility may result in children developing emotional regulation problems.
[31][32] Other factors involved include the quality of relationship with peers, the child's temperament, and social or cognitive understanding.
[33] Research has shown that failures in emotional regulation may be related to the display of acting out, externalizing disorders, or behavior problems.
[39][40][41] A study at University College in Ireland found that dysregulation correlates to negative feelings about one's ability to cope with emotions and rumination in adults.
[42] Part of emotional dysregulation, which is a core characteristic in borderline personality disorder, is affective instability, which manifests as rapid and frequent shifts in mood of high affect intensity and rapid onset of emotions, often triggered by environmental stimuli.
This instability is further intensified by an acute sensitivity to psychosocial cues, leading to significant challenges in managing emotions effectively.
[48] Emotional regulation and communication skills are linked to secure attachment, which has been related to higher partner support as well as openness in discussing negative experiences and resolving conflict.
One study found that relationship satisfaction is lower in couples that lack impulse control or regulatory strategies.
[41] Another study found that both husbands' and wives' emotional reactivity was negatively linked with marriage quality as well as perceptions of partner responsiveness.
[50] The literature concludes that dysregulation increases instances of perceived criticism, contributes to physical and psychological violence, and worsens depression, anxiety, and sexual difficulties.
[54][55] Research conflicts on whether higher levels of emotional reactivity are linked to increases or decreases in sexual desire.
[40] Some research posits that higher emotional reactivity in women is linked to greater sexual attraction in their male partners.
[58] In a non-violent context, insecurely attached individuals may seek to satisfy their need for connection or to resolve relational issues with sex.
[56] While personal characteristics and experiences can contribute to externalizing and internalizing behaviors as listed above, emotional regulation has an interpersonal aspect.
Effective strategies involve working with a child to support developing self-control such as modeling a desired behavior rather than demanding it.
[62] Several variables have been explored to explain the connection between emotional dysregulation and substance use in young adults, such as child maltreatment, cortisol levels, family environment, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Prosek, Giordano, Woehler, Price, and McCullough (2018)[65] explored the relationship between mental health and emotional regulation in collegiate illicit substance users.
A few studies have also showed promise in terms of non-pharmacological treatments for people with ADHD and emotional problems,[71][72] although the research is limited and requires additional inquiry.
[36] Movement such as yoga and aerobic exercise can also be therapeutic by aiding with regulation and the ability to understand how one's mind influences behavior.