The Effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect on Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Thalamus Resting Functional Connections in College Students: The Mediating Role of Reappraisal Strategy

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2023.02.014

Abstract

Abstract: This study examined the effects of childhood emotional neglect (CEN) on emotion regulation abilities and resting-state functional connectivity of the thalamus. Two groups of college students who have experienced solitary CEN and who have no childhood traumatic experience were recruited. Questionnaires and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were used to collect data. The results showed that the neglect group had more difficulty regulating emotions and used fewer reappraisal strategies. Additionally, the functional connectivity between the thalamus and the dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus was stronger in the neglect group. Cross-group analysis showed that the effect of thalamus functional connectivity on emotion regulation difficulty was fully mediated by the reappraisal score. These findings suggest that solitary CEN may lead to emotion regulation difficulty in adulthood, and changes in spontaneous activity of the thalamus may affect adult emotion regulation abilities by influencing reappraisal strategies.

Key words: childhood emotional neglect, difficulties in emotion regulation, reappraisal strategy, thalamus, resting-state functional connection

摘要： 以伴有单发性童年期情感忽视(CEN)和无任何童年期创伤经历的大学生为对象，借助问卷和静息态功能磁共振技术考察单发性CEN对大学生情绪调节能力及丘脑静息态功能连接的影响。结果发现，忽视组情绪调节更困难且更少使用重评策略，丘脑和背外侧额上回的功能连接更强；跨组分析中重评得分完全中介丘脑功能连接对情绪调节困难的影响。结果提示，单发性CEN可能诱发成人期的情绪调节困难，而丘脑自发活动的改变可能通过影响重评策略而影响其成人期情绪调节能力。

关键词: 童年期情感忽视, 情绪调节困难, 重评策略, 丘脑, 静息态功能连接

CLC Number:

B844

XU Bin, JIN Xiaokang, WEI Shilin, YIN Xiaojuan, YAN Shizhen, JIA Lina, JIN Hua. The Effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect on Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Thalamus Resting Functional Connections in College Students: The Mediating Role of Reappraisal Strategy[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2023, 21(2): 245-252.

徐滨, 金晓康, 魏士琳, 阴晓娟, 严世振, 贾丽娜, 金花. 童年期情感忽视对大学生情绪调节困难和丘脑静息态功能连接的影响：重评策略的中介作用[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2023, 21(2): 245-252.

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