1 Psychology and human development1.9 Emotion
1.9.6 Emotion regulation and resourcefulness
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Written by Resident Doctor Committee · Published
New in the 2027 syllabus
The College added this topic for exams from January 2027.
Regulating emotion
Emotion regulation changes which emotions a person has, how strong they are, how long they last and how they are shown. It can be deliberate or habitual.
Strategy | What it changes | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
Problem-focused coping | The source of a manageable demand | Some situations cannot be changed |
Reappraisal | The meaning given to a situation | The new view must still fit the evidence |
Acceptance | The response to an experience that cannot be avoided | It does not mean approving of harm |
Avoidance | Contact with cues that trigger distress | Can keep fear going and limit activity |
Suppression | Outward emotional expression | Inner distress may carry on |
Control and learned skills
Locus of control is whether a person sees outcomes as mainly due to their own actions or to outside forces. It is not the same as confidence in doing a particular task.
Learned resourcefulness, linked with Rosenbaum, is a learned set of self-regulation skills. A person uses them when inner experiences get in the way of a goal. The skills include problem-solving, helpful self-instruction and holding back an immediate response to pursue a longer-term aim.
Resilience depends on context, relationships and resources, not just personal skills. A poor outcome does not prove that the person did not try hard enough.
Burnout
Burnout is an occupational phenomenon linked with chronic stress at work. It has three features:
exhaustion
distance from work, or cynicism about it
reduced professional efficacy (feeling less effective at work).
When assessing burnout, also look for depression, anxiety, sleep problems and physical illness. The label "burnout" does not replace a clinical assessment.