Emotional regulation and depression in a sample of separated and divorced Chilean adults

Previous studies have described the increase in depressive symptoms in divorced and separated individuals. However, the factors associated with depression have been little explored in this particular context. The aim of the present study was to assess the degree to which difficulties in emotional regulation are associated with depressive symptomatology in divorced and separated individuals. A sample of 1189 Chilean individuals, separated or divorced, completed self-reported measures of difficulties in emotional regulation and depression. The results obtained allow us to conclude that difficulties in emotional regulation, over other individual factors, such as early risk situations or circumstances of separation, are associated with higher rates of depression in men and women, explaining 41% of the variance of the depressive symptomatology. Emotional regulation difficulties are associated with greater depressive symptomatology in divorced/separated individuals. We discuss the clinical implications of these results, as well as future lines of research.