title: Distress disclosure and psychological functioning among Taiwanese nationals and European Americans: The moderating roles of mindfulness and nationality.
abstract: Research using Western samples shows that talking about unpleasant emotions-distress disclosure-is associated with fewer psychological symptoms and higher well-being. These benefits of distress disclosure may or may not be observed in East Asia where emotional control is valued. Instead, mindfulness may be more relevant to emotion regulation in East Asia (e.g., Taiwan). In the present study, cultural context (Taiwanese nationals vs. European Americans) and mindfulness were examined as moderators of the relation between distress disclosure and both depression symptoms and life satisfaction. A sample of 256 Taiwanese college students and a sample of 209 European American college students completed self-report measures in their native language. Moderated multiple regression analyses revealed significant interaction effects of mindfulness and distress disclosure on both depression symptoms and life satisfaction for Taiwanese participants but not for European Americans. Specifically, distress disclosure was negatively associated with depression symptoms and positively associated with life satisfaction for Taiwanese low in mindfulness but not for Taiwanese high in mindfulness. For European Americans, distress disclosure was not associated with depression symptoms but was associated with higher life satisfaction, regardless of one's level of mindfulness. These findings suggest that the potential benefits of disclosing distress are a function of one's cultural context as well as, for those from Taiwan, one's mindfulness. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Illinois State University.
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Iowa State University.
authors.forename: Meifen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Lawrence University.
authors.forename: Jenny C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Illinois State University.
authors.forename: Suejung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Illinois State University.
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strojewska
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005202:Asia, Eastern; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult