Cognitive Emotional Regulation Strategies: Gender Differences in Ecuador

Background: The use of various emotional regulation strategies influences the individual's response to adverse situations and has been considered a transdiagnostic component in various disorders. Objective: Evaluate gender differences in the use of cognitive emotional regulation strategies. Method: Comparative study that contrasts the use of various cognitive strategies for emotional regulation between men and women in three different Ecuadorian samples is contrasted. For this, the Cognitive Emotional Regulation Questionnaire was used, which evaluates nine cognitive emotional regulation strategies. The first sample included 618 participants with no psychiatric history evaluated during a period of great distress (the first confinement due to COVID-19), the second study included 222 regular and problem gamblers and the last one involved 60 patients with chronic kidney disease. Results: The results revealed significant differences in the use of rumination strategies (higher in women) and self -blame (higher in men) in the first and third study. and indicated an effect size ranging from small to large (.21 to .79). In contrast, Study 2 did not report any significant differences. Conclusion: These findings suggest the existence of relatively stable gender differences in the use of emotion regulation strategies that could have a mediating impact on other gender differences, such as the prevalence of psychopathology.