Deconstructing sex differences in emotion regulation: the underlying role of gender attitudes.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational survey without longitudinal follow-up
PubMed 42548858 · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1900243
What was done
A cross-sectional study of 201 Ecuadorian university students evaluated whether gender role attitudes predict emotion regulation strategies and whether biological sex moderates these links. Participants completed the Gender Role Attitudes Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (measuring cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression). Analyses used multiple linear regressions and moderation models, adjusting for income, mental health history, and marital status, with corrections for multiple comparisons.
What was found
The abstract reports directions of association without specific numerical values, effect sizes, or test statistics. Biological sex did not significantly differentiate the use of cognitive reappraisal or expressive suppression, nor did it moderate the links between gender beliefs and these strategies. Non-egalitarian gender roles significantly and negatively predicted the use of both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Adherence to traditional gender roles significantly and positively predicted only expressive suppression.
Why it matters
This study indicates that sociocultural gender beliefs may explain individual differences in emotion regulation strategies better than biological sex alone.
Limits
The study is cross-sectional, precluding causal conclusions. All outcomes were assessed via self-report measures in a relatively small convenience sample of Ecuadorian university students, limiting generalizability to broader populations. The abstract omits numerical point estimates, confidence intervals, and exact p-values.