Emotion Regulation Flexibility: Theoretical Models and Empirical Findings

Emotion regulation strategies are frequently classified into either adaptive or maladaptive, independent of the context in which they are used. Recent studies and theoretical models of emotion regulation flexibility question this categorization, and propose investigating the adaptiveness of emotion regulation strategies depending on contextual demands. The current article provides a selective overview of this field of research based on the following two questions: (1) How important are contextual factors for the adaptiveness of emotion regulation strategies? (2) How can emotion regulation flexibility be conceptualized and assessed? Finally, we discuss implications for future ambulatory and experimental studies of emotion regulation flexibility.