# Mild Cognitive Impairment and Emotion Regulation in Naturalistic Contexts

> **NIH NIH R21** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $196,666

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Emotion regulation is a central determinant of psychological and physical well-being. As individuals age,
they show decline in various aspects of cognition thought to be central to effective emotion regulation.
Nonetheless, older adults are typically able to maintain their emotional well-being, such that they experience
more stable and positive emotions in daily life. It is unclear, however, whether those with more accelerated
cognitive decline also retain this ability to effectively regulate their emotions. It is conceivable that those with
mild cognitive impairment (MCI), who are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, can compensate
for declines in cognitive control by harnessing existing personal and social resources to meet their emotional
goals. This ability may break down, however, when resources are taxed or if cognitive impairment becomes
more severe. The proposed project will address critical questions about the role of cognitive control in emotion
regulation and delineate sources of vulnerability for emotion dysregulation in later adulthood. In doing so, it will
test whether relying on less cognitively demanding strategies and drawing on social ties in daily life can buffer
older adults from the potential negative impact of MCI on emotional well-being outcomes.
 The overall objective of the proposed project is to advance understanding of the effectiveness of emotion
regulation in later adulthood among those with MCI and healthy cognitive aging. The specific aims of the
project are to (1) identify whether emotion regulation effectiveness differs in older adults with MCI (versus older
adults with healthy cognitive aging and younger adults), (2) characterize patterns of emotion regulation
strategy use among older adults with MCI, and (3) isolate contexts in which older adults with MCI are buffered
from emotion regulation difficulties. To achieve these aims, a representative sample of older adults (ages 70 to
84) with MCI or normal cognitive aging and younger adults (ages 20 to 34) will be recruited for a three-part
study that incorporates both standardized lab tasks and experience sampling of daily life. Participants will
complete two laboratory sessions. The first session will include a comprehensive cognitive battery (including
measures of fluid and crystallized cognition) and self-report measures of physical health and personality. The
second session will include a standardized emotion regulation film task in which emotional outcomes
(subjective experience and behavioral expressions) will be assessed after instructing participants to decrease
sadness or disgust using an assigned strategy (reappraisal or distraction) and self-selected strategies.
Between these two laboratory sessions, participants will complete 14 days of experience sampling that will
assess their daily emotional experience and emotion regulation, tracking emotion dynamics and flexibility of
strategy use. Ultimately, this work could aid in i...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9912698
- **Project number:** 5R21AG062841-02
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Tammy English
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $196,666
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-15 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9912698

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9912698, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Emotion Regulation in Naturalistic Contexts (5R21AG062841-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9912698. Licensed CC0.

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