Relationship between Negative Emotional Granularity and Adolescents’ Negative Emotions: Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

Abstract: This study combined questionnaire assessments with standardized emotional granularity and emotion regulation paradigms to explore the relationships among negative emotional granularity, emotion regulation, and negative affect in adolescents. The results indicated that: (1) negative emotional granularity in adolescents was significantly negatively correlated with negative affect (depression, anxiety, and stress); and (2) emotion regulation abilities (including the numbers and effectiveness of regulation strategies) mediated the relationship between negative emotional granularity and negative affect. These findings enrich the existing research on adolescent emotions and provide empirical support for subsequent effective mental health interventions.