Why Emotional Regulation Does Not Always Lead to a Reduction in Distress: A Review of Contemporary Approaches

Emotion regulation occupies a central role in contemporary clinical psychology and psychotherapy and is commonly conceptualized as a key mechanism for reducing psychological distress. However, accumulating empirical evidence suggests that the use of emotion regulation strategies does not always result in the expected decrease in distress. The aim of the present review is to systematize major theoretical models of emotion regulation and to examine empirical findings demonstrating the complex and sometimes paradoxical relationship between emotion regulation and distress reduction. The article reviews the process model of emotion regulation, cognitive-behavioral and contextual approaches, and key empirical phenomena, including the paradoxes of suppression, rebound effects, and context-dependent outcomes of regulation strategies. The findings indicate that the effectiveness of emotion regulation is shaped by multiple factors, including situational characteristics, individual differences, and temporal dynamics. The review highlights the need for further research aimed at clarifying the conditions under which emotion regulation contributes to sustained reductions in psychological distress.