PulseJournal ClubResearchersJournalsExplore
Instagram
HomeJournal ClubExplore
Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
August 30, 2026EmotionOpen Access

Acceptance and vagal reactivity: Insights from a laboratory-based study of emotion regulation in late life.

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Authors

LFLin FuDRDavid B RompillaJMJoseph A. Mikels

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

Laboratory study finds habitual emotional acceptance links to greater vagal reactivity during emotion regulation in older adults, highlighting physiological mechanisms supporting late-life mental...

Key Points

  • To examine the relationship between the habitual use of emotional acceptance and vagal reactivity during instructed emotion regulation in older adults.
  • Assessed habitual emotion regulation strategies (acceptance, detachment, and reappraisal) via questionnaires in 129 older adults aged 64–83.
  • Measured vagal reactivity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia) and sympathetic reactivity (preejection period) while participants watched loss-themed film clips under emotion regulation instructions, controlling for 'just-watch' trials.
  • Adjusted statistical models for age, gender, respiration rate and amplitude, and health behaviors.
  • Habitual emotional acceptance was specifically associated with greater respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity during instructed emotion regulation.
  • The association was specific to vagal reactivity and acceptance; neither detachment nor reappraisal predicted respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and acceptance did not relate to preejection period reactivity.
  • The link between habitual acceptance and greater vagal reactivity remained stable after controlling for age, gender, respiration dynamics, and health behaviors.

Cite This Study

Fu et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f00a6c1a8fb52e79c113https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001737
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share