(PS5-B31) Relationships Between Intrinsic Religiosity, Emotion Regulation, Psychopathology, and Race

Emotion regulation strategies are used to change the direction, duration, or intensity of an affective experience (Mauss et al., 2007). Putatively maladaptive strategies like avoidance are associated with several forms of psychopathology including generalized anxiety disorder (Roemer et al., 2005), obsessive-compulsive disorder (Abramowitz et al., 2009), and depression (Tull et al., 2004). However, much of the emotion regulation literature has only investigated the use and effectiveness of emotion regulation strategies among primarily White samples. Recent data indicate that contextual variables like racism-related stress are important in understanding relationships between emotion regulation and psychopathology features (Southward et al., 2019; Harmon & Cheavens, in preparation). Previous research also documents the importance of religiosity in managing racism-related stressors (Bierman, 2006). In the present research, we aimed to understand relationships among emotion regulation, psychopathology features, and religion in Black and White Americans.

In a sample of community and university students (N = 400, 42% Black, 57.50% White), participants reported demographics, their use of experiential avoidance emotion regulation (Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, Gámez et al., 2014; BEAQ), and their intrinsic religious beliefs (Duke University Religion Index, Koenig et al., 1997; DUREL). We also derived a standardized composite psychopathology score from participants’ scores on the Patient Health Questionanaire-9 (Kroenke & Spitzer, 2002), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (Spitzer et al., 2006), and Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Scale (Morey, 1991).

Using regression analyses, we found a significant BEAQ by DUREL interaction, t(206) = -3.13, p = .002, such that the relationship between experiential avoidance scores and psychopathology features was weaker for participants who reported higher intrinsic religiosity. Results also revealed a significant race by DUREL by BEAQ interaction, t(206) = 2.44, p = .015. This interaction suggests that for Black, but not White participants, the relationship between experiential avoidance and psychopathology features was moderated by intrinsic religiosity. That is, the relationship between experiential avoidance and psychopathology features was weaker for Black participants who endorsed high intrinsic religiosity compared to Black participants with lower intrinsic religiosity and White participants.

These results demonstrate that religion may be an important factor in the psychological experiences of Black Americans. Future researchers should examine mechanisms of these relationships to understand how religiosity may buffer negative psychological effects of maladaptive emotion regulation.