(PS10-C67) I Know How You Feel: Interpersonal Emotion Differentiation Is Related to Partner and Self Characteristics

Emotion Differentiation (ED), defined as the ability to classify emotional experiences in a nuanced manner, has been studied across a range of disorders like MDD, SAD, BPD, and GAD. ED has also been associated with interpersonal functioning, such as recognition of emotional expressions in others. Although the focus of ED research has been on the perception of one’s own emotional state, differentiating the emotions of others may be a separate, potentially important, construct that impacts interpersonal relationships. We propose such a construct, “Interpersonal emotion differentiation” (Interpersonal ED), and define it as the ability to differentiate the emotions of others in a nuanced manner. In a previous couples study, we found that in the context of emotion dysregulation, differentiation of partner’s emotions was associated with one’s own relationship satisfaction. As a truly interpersonal construct, more research is needed to explore how interpersonal emotion differentiation is associated with both characteristics of the self and the partner. In the present study, we aim to determine if Interpersonal ED is associated with psychosocial characteristics of the partner and oneself.

A sample of 79 cohabitating couples (n = 158) from the Washington, DC area were recruited for a three-week daily-diary study. Partners completed measures of emotion dysregulation (DERS), depressive symptoms (CES-D), anxiety symptoms (STAI), and emotional acceptance (AAQ) at baseline. Each day, participants appraised their own and partner’s emotional experiences using the POMS. We then used intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the field’s gold standard for calculating ED, to quantify participant ability to differentiate partner negative emotional experiences (PEDiff) and their own (ED). Correlations between PEDiff and DERS, CES-D, STAI, AAQ and ED were examined. As ED and PEDiff were expected to correlate, follow-up analyses used multiple linear regression to determine if significant correlates remained significant after controlling for ED.

Findings revealed a significant relation between PEDiff, partner psychosocial characteristics and participant ED. Specifically, participant ability to differentiate partner emotions was negatively associated with partner anxiety, depression, and emotion dysregulation and positively associated with partner emotional acceptance. Follow-up regression analyses determined that each of these remained significant after controlling for ED.

This is the first study to examine interpersonal ED and therefore extends the existing literature in meaningful ways. First, the present study highlights that ED and interpersonal ED are overlapping but distinct constructs. In addition, as an interpersonal mechanism, multiple transdiagnostic, partner characteristics account for variance in participant’s interpersonal ED ability. However, the constructs presently studied only account for part of the variance in interpersonal ED. Future research should explore variables that impact the remaining variance. This line of research establishes an exciting new construct that could have important ramifications for interpersonal functioning and emotion processing that could inform treatment strategies.