The Relationship Between Mental health, Metacognition, and Emotion Regulation in Older People

França, Alex Bacadini; Samra, Rajvinder; Vitorino, Luciano Magalhães and Schelini, Patrícia (2024). The Relationship Between Mental health, Metacognition, and Emotion Regulation in Older People. Clinical Gerontologist, 47(2) pp. 298–306.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2023.2231456

Abstract

Objectives
It is unclear if using emotion regulation strategies can help manage the effects of anxiety and depression on metacognitive strategies in older people. This study aimed to verify the effect of emotion regulation in the interaction between mental disorders and metacognition.

Methods
A mediation analysis was performed to assess the role of emotion regulation in the interaction between mental disorders and metacognition in older people.

Results
Without mediator control, higher scores indicating mental disorder are associated with reduced metacognition scores. When mediators are added to the model, the mediation effect was significant. An indirect effect of anxiety and depression on metacognition was mediated by cognitive reappraisal to a greater extent than emotional suppression.

Conclusions
Cognitive reappraisal reduced the impact of anxiety and depression on metacognition in older adults.

Clinical implications
Including cognitive reappraisal techniques in anxiety and depression intervention plans can be beneficial for improving older people’s metacognition functioning.