Reappraisal during adolescence : A review of fMRI studies

Abstract: Adolescence is a unique period of development. This life phase seems to entail being sensitive to aversive and social cues. However, adolescents' performances have been seen as equivalent to that of adults in nonemotional contexts. For this reason, questions remain regarding adolescents’ sensitivity to, and cognitive regulation of, emotional content. In line with this, the following paper aimed to provide a literature review of the successful use of an emotion regulation (ER) strategy, known as reappraisal, and its normative development during adolescence. Specifically, the main focus ofthis paper was to review studies investigating age differences of adolescents' reappraisal capacity in association with related functional activity, as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Reappraisal, i.e., to rethink the appraisal of an emotionally eliciting stimulus as to change one’s emotional response, is a well-studied psychological phenomenon. Research of reappraisal ability has mainly been studied on adults when viewing aversive images. Therefore, such findings in the field that are of relevance for the more in-depth review a represented. The studies reviewed suggest that reappraisal may account more for age differences in emotional responding than emotional reactivity. Generally, reappraisal ability shows increased success with increasing age. The paper ends with a discussion of results and limitations within the field, such as regarding the various terminology and instructions used for reappraisal tactics.