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    "doi": "10.1007\/s42761-026-00403-7",
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    "title": "Distress Intensity Predicts Selection of Reappraisal But Not Effectiveness of Distraction or Reappraisal During Uncertain Waiting Periods",
    "authors": [
        "James M. Teague",
        "Hepbyrne R. Davies",
        "Peter Koval",
        "Ella K. Moeck"
    ],
    "container": "Affective Science",
    "year": "2026",
    "doi_url": "https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s42761-026-00403-7",
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    "abstract": "Abstract Daily life methods help us understand emotion regulation as it occurs in people’s natural environment. However, these methods rarely capture emotionally salient situations where emotion regulation is most needed. One common and often distressing experience in daily life is awaiting uncertain and potentially undesirable news. But there is mixed evidence as to the effectiveness of emotion regulation strategies during these uncertain waiting periods. Therefore, we wondered whether variations in the intensity of distress during waiting periods might explain this mixed evidence. Lab experiments consistently show that people prefer disengagement strategies (e.g., distraction) to regulate their emotions in high-intensity situations, and engagement strategies (e.g., reappraisal) in low-intensity situations. Building on these findings, we ran a daily-diary study investigating how distress intensity predicts the selection and (short-term) effectiveness of distraction and reappraisal while people awaited a personally significant uncertain outcome. Each evening for two weeks, 254 Prolific participants rated their distress, emotion regulation strategies, positive and negative emotion, and perceived regulatory success regarding an uncertain outcome. Distress intensity was not related to the selection of distraction, whereas it predicted increased selection of reappraisal. While both distraction and reappraisal were associated with increased positive emotion and regulatory success, intensity did not moderate the effectiveness of either strategy. Our findings suggest that while awaiting uncertain news, people may find it easier to boost positive than negative emotions, and that distress intensity does not change the effectiveness of emotion regulation strategies.",
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