# The Role of Emotion Regulation and Awareness in Psychosocial Stress: An EEG-Psychometric Correlational Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how emotion regulation and awareness relate to brain activity during stress, using EEG and psychometric assessments.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific EEG band correlations with interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation during stress.

## Key findings

- Interoceptive awareness and mindfulness correlate with high-frequency EEG bands in the frontal region.
- Emotion regulation and empathy correlate with low-frequency EEG bands in the frontal region.
- These findings highlight the role of brain activity in managing stress and emotions.

## Abstract

Background: In stressful situations, to overcome unpleasant emotions, individuals try to manage stress through emotion regulation strategies such as cognitive reappraisal, interoception, and mindfulness. Method: 26 healthy adults underwent a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (named the Social Stress Test, SST) while their electrophysiological (EEG) activity was monitored. Participants also completed self-report questionnaires prior to this, including the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), Emotional Regulation of Others and Self (EROS), and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Three brain regions of interest (ROIs) were considered in the EEG data processing: frontal, temporo-central, and parieto-occipital. Correlational analyses were performed between psychometric scales and EEG band power spectral values for each ROI. Results: The results showed positive correlations between interoceptive awareness, mindfulness, and high-frequency EEG bands (beta, alpha, gamma) over frontal ROI, indicating enhanced cognitive processing and emotional regulation. Conversely, emotion regulation and empathy measures correlated positively with low-frequency EEG bands (delta, theta), associated with improved social cognition and top-down regulatory processes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that EEG correlations of the stress response are connected to emotion regulation mechanisms, emphasizing the importance of body state awareness in managing stress and emotions for overall well-being and quality of life.