Highest correlations between emotion regulation strategies and mood symptoms in bipolar disorder: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis

Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with alterations in emotion regulation (ER) strategies, with both depressive and (hypo)manic symptoms correlated with utilization of maladaptive instead of adaptive strategies. However, which ER strategies are the most affected during the most severe mood symptoms remains unclear despite the potentially relevant treatment implications. To this end, we conducted a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) of studies documenting correlations between ER and depressive and (hypo)manic symptoms of BD, from inception until November 9th, 2023. We included 15 studies in the review, 14 of which provided data to conduct a Bayesian NMA. Rumination emerged as the ER strategy most strongly associated with both depressive (ES=0.43, 95 %CrI=0.27,0.59) and (hypo)manic symptoms (ES=0.26, 95 %CrI=0.05,0.46) of BD. Other ER strategies showed associations primarily with depressive symptoms. There was no significant heterogeneity or network inconsistency. These findings emphasize the importance of rumination in BD and suggest that altered ER strategies are more evident in depressive symptoms rather than (hypo)manic ones. While promising for targeted interventions, these results are based on cross-sectional data, limiting causal interpretation. Future longitudinal studies are necessary to clarify the temporal dynamics of the relationship between affective symptoms and ER in BD. •Mood symptoms of bipolar disorder (BD) correlate with emotion regulation (ER).•Depressive symptoms link to more altered ER strategies than do (hypo)manic symptoms.•Rumination is associated with both depressive and (hypo)manic symptoms.•Findings suggest targeting ER strategies, especially rumination, in BD treatments.