Negative Emotions, Working Memory, and Risk-Related Regulatory Behaviors in Active-Duty Firefighters and First-Year College Students.
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| Title: | Negative Emotions, Working Memory, and Risk-Related Regulatory Behaviors in Active-Duty Firefighters and First-Year College Students. |
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| Authors: | Mitchell, Benjamin (AUTHOR), Baugher, Brittany (AUTHOR), Coifman, Karin (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Cognitive Therapy & Research. Feb2026, Vol. 50 Issue 1, p14-33. 20p. |
| Subjects: | Risk-taking behavior, Emotion regulation, Affect (Psychology), Substance abuse, Fire fighters, Compulsive eating, College students, Short-term memory |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Research has consistently found that individuals engage in risk-related behaviors, like substance use, binge eating, and social avoidance, to down-regulate negative emotion. Evidence and theory suggest that these behaviors may be driven by common cognitive-emotional processes and might operate as a class of behaviors. Coifman and Aurora (Cogn Ther Res 46:590–607, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-021-10284-8) proposed and found support for a two-dimensional model, in which behaviors were driven by the interplay of bottom-up emotional processes (increased negative affect) with reduced top-down cognitive processes (e.g., working memory) in patients and psychologically healthy adults. Methods: For the present investigation, we expand on these findings in two, distinct, at-risk samples: active-duty firefighters (Study 1) and first-year college students (Study 2). Participants completed diagnostic interviews, a working memory task, and six-seven months of weekly diaries indexing emotion, stress, and behavior. Results: Multilevel factor analysis in each sample revealed substantial covariation among the 5 risk-related behaviors assessed (substance use, binge eating, overspending, risky sex, and social avoidance) consistent with an underlying structure for these behaviors. Support for the two-dimensional model was clear in Study 1 but in Study 2, stress exposure and negative affect (but not working memory) predicted engagement in behaviors. Conclusions: Results indicate some support for the two-dimensional model and have clear implications for the assessment and treatment of affective disorders in which behavioral dysregulation is common. However, the disparate results are also discussed in the context of the methodology, as well as developmental and socio-cultural differences and indicate important opportunities for future research and refinement of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Purpose: Research has consistently found that individuals engage in risk-related behaviors, like substance use, binge eating, and social avoidance, to down-regulate negative emotion. Evidence and theory suggest that these behaviors may be driven by common cognitive-emotional processes and might operate as a class of behaviors. Coifman and Aurora (Cogn Ther Res 46:590–607, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-021-10284-8) proposed and found support for a two-dimensional model, in which behaviors were driven by the interplay of bottom-up emotional processes (increased negative affect) with reduced top-down cognitive processes (e.g., working memory) in patients and psychologically healthy adults. Methods: For the present investigation, we expand on these findings in two, distinct, at-risk samples: active-duty firefighters (Study 1) and first-year college students (Study 2). Participants completed diagnostic interviews, a working memory task, and six-seven months of weekly diaries indexing emotion, stress, and behavior. Results: Multilevel factor analysis in each sample revealed substantial covariation among the 5 risk-related behaviors assessed (substance use, binge eating, overspending, risky sex, and social avoidance) consistent with an underlying structure for these behaviors. Support for the two-dimensional model was clear in Study 1 but in Study 2, stress exposure and negative affect (but not working memory) predicted engagement in behaviors. Conclusions: Results indicate some support for the two-dimensional model and have clear implications for the assessment and treatment of affective disorders in which behavioral dysregulation is common. However, the disparate results are also discussed in the context of the methodology, as well as developmental and socio-cultural differences and indicate important opportunities for future research and refinement of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 01475916 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10608-025-10614-0 |
