Regulation of anger by writing: Usage of expression, problem solving and distraction strategies

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects on anger regulation of emotion regulation strategies applied through writing tasks. In this respect, a scenario that would trigger the emotion of anger was created to be used in the experimental phase. Levels of anger regulation were then evaluated by examining the effects of expression, problem-solving, and distraction strategies applied through writing tasks on positive affect, negative affect, valence, and arousal values of emotion. In addition, the levels of effectiveness of these emotion regulation strategies were compared with each other. The sample of the study consisted of 152 female university students. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Emotion and Arousal Assessment Form, and Emotional Valence Form were used as data collection tools and the dataset was analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics in accordance with the research questions and hypotheses. It was found that all three emotion regulation strategies had significant effects on negative affect and arousal. The most effective strategy for negative affect was distraction, while the least effective was expression. Finally, the most effective strategies for arousal were distraction and expression with problem-solving, and there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of these two strategies, while the least effective strategy was expression. All findings are discussed in light of the relevant literature.