Sharing positive events: Ecological momentary assessment of emotion regulation via social capitalization in schizotypy
Abstract
Emotional deficits are prominent in schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology and linked with poorer outcomes. Schizotypy, an underlying personality organization that putatively confers vulnerability to developing schizophrenia, has been associated with increased negative affect, decreased positive affect, and some difficulty with emotion regulation. This study explored the role of social capitalization, the upregulation of positive emotion when positive life events are shared with others, in schizotypy. Social capitalization is relevant for schizotypy given its association with social functioning and social motivation abnormalities. Using mobile assessment methods, a sample of college students (N=73) completed daily surveys via a mobile application two times per day for seven days and made daily ratings of mood and answered questions regarding any capitalization attempt for a positive event. Results indicated that higher schizotypy and not sharing an event were independently associated with lower happiness and increased sadness and anxiety. When an event was shared, lower schizotypy and supportive/enthusiastic response perception were independently associated with increased happiness. No significant interactions were observed between schizotypy and social capitalization variables. Future research would benefit from exploring the role that other common schizotypy concomitants, e.g., social anxiety or social disconnection, play in social capitalization and the extent this is helped or hindered via mass personal technological mediums.