Emotional dysregulation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Emotional dysregulation is a term used in the mental health community to refer to an emotional response that is not well modulated. This means that an individual does not respond to a person, place, thing, or event in a manner that would generally be considered within the normal range of emotions. Emotional dysregulation is characterized by difficulty regulating one's emotions; an example of this might be rage over a broken nail, or hysterics over a missed appointment. Emotional dysregulation is seen across both positive and negative affect -- that is, within a range of emotions.
Emotional or affect dysregulation is a mainstay of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). In contrast, emotional or affect regulation is defined as the relative ability to tolerate painful affect (also known as affect tolerance) and the ability to internally reduce distress without resort to defensive mechanisms (a.k.a. affect modulation). Emotional dysregulation or affect regulation problems are often caused by early exposure to trauma.<ref name="Pynoos, R., Steinberg, A., & Piacentini, J., 1999">Pynoos, R., Steinberg, A., & Piacentini, J. (1999). A developmental psychopathology model of childhood traumatic stress and intersection with anxiety disorders. Biological Psychiatry, 46, 1542-1554.</ref> <ref name="Shore, A., 2003">Schore, A., (2003). Affect dysregulation and disorders of the self. New York: Norton.</ref>
The term emotional dysregulation is also used with reference to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Reactive attachment disorder and other conditions. Emotional dysregulation is a broad phenomenon that is a component of many mental health disorders.
There is an effort within some sectors of the mental health community to rename Borderline Personality Disorder as emotional dysregulation disorder or emotional dysregulatory disorder in the DSM and ICD-10.
Treatment for emotional dysregulation must address the underlying cause. So, for example, when Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or reactive attachment disorder or chronic maltreatment are the cause, then attachment-based treatment interventions -- such as Dyadic developmental psychotherapy <ref name="Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., & Deborah Shell, MA">Becker-Weidman, A., & Shell, D., (Eds.) (2005) Creating Capacity For Attachment, Wood 'N' Barnes, OK. ISBN 1-885473-72-9</ref> <ref name="Becker-Weidman, 2006">Becker-Weidman, A., (2006). Treatment for Children with Trauma-Attachment Disorders: Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. Vol. 13 #1, April 2006.</ref> -- may be appropriate for children or adolescents with emotional dysregulation caused by (among other things) Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Reactive Attachment Disorder.
Emotional dysregulation is associated with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can be caused by early chronic maltreatment. Chronic maltreatment (such as child abuse, child neglect, institutional or psychological neglect/abuse or the witnessing of violence) can lead to both Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and emotional dysregulation.
[edit] See also
- Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD
- Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or C-PTSD
- Reactive attachment disorder
- Dyadic developmental psychotherapy
- Attachment theory
- Labile affect
[edit] References
<references />
Clarkin J., Hull J., Hurt S., (1993). Factor structure of borderline personality disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders.
Donegan, N., Sanislow, C., Blumberg, H., Fulbright, R., Lacadie, C., Skudlarski, P., Gore, J., Olson, I., McGlashan, T., Wexler, B. (2003). Amygdala Hyperreactivity in Borderline Personality Disorder: Implications for Emotional Dysregulation. Journal of Biological Psychiatry.
Gunderson J., Zanarini, M. (1989). Pathogenesis in borderline personality. In: Tasman A., Hales R., Frances A., (Ed.). Review of Psychiatry, Vol. 8.
Linehan, M. (1995). Understanding borderline personality disorder. New York. Guilford Press.
