Psychotic-like experiences in the emotional dysregulation-impulsivity link
摘要
Emerging research suggests psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) exist on a continuum and consist of subclinical phenomena like perceptual abnormalities and delusional ideation. PLEs may influence impulsivity- and previous literature shows a link between emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. This study examined whether PLEs as well as gender moderated the relationship between emotional dysregulation and impulsivity in a non-clinical sample of young adults. A total of 95 females and 95 males completed self-report measures assessing emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and PLEs. Associations among study variables were examined using correlational analyses, followed by a moderated moderation analysis conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, as well as PLEs and impulsivity, were positively correlated. Moderation analyses revealed gender-specific effects: among females, higher PLEs attenuated the association between emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, whereas in males, PLEs amplified this relationship. These findings suggest that PLEs shape how dysregulated affect translates into impulsive behavior differently for men and women, potentially reflecting distinct emotion regulation strategies. Future research should investigate the mechanisms behind these gender-specific pathways and examine whether these patterns generalize across cultural contexts.