Expressive suppression is a form of emotional management that involves trying to conceal or minimize emotion expressing behaviors. This strategy only targets the behaviors produced by the emotions, not the actual emotions themself, which can leave negative emotions to linger unresolved (Cutuli, 2014). This disconnect in emotions in behavior can ultimately lead to low self-esteem, as well as anxious and avoidant behaviors in social relationships. Expressive suppression is associated with negative outcomes. Those that rely on this strategy often reduce their positive emotional experience while maximizing the physiological effects of negative emotions. Higher emotional intelligence (EI) is associated with the more positive emotional regulation strategy of cognitive reappraisal, whereas lower EI is associated with expressive suppression. We hypothesized that a recently developed EI training (EIT) program would reduce the reliance on expressive suppression as an emotional regulation strategy.

Our sample included 325 participants from the general population with a mean age of 23.62 years old (SD_Age=5.40). The sample was 72% female (N_Female=234, N_Male=91). Participants were randomly assigned to complete either an EIT program (N_EIT=169) or a Placebo Training (PAT) program (N_PAT=156).  Our EIT program was designed to train emotional intelligence via a three-tier system that started by training base EI skills in tier one and more applied skills in tiers two and three. The PAT program was designed to be similar in length (~10 to 12 hours). However, the PAT program focused on externally oriented thinking instead of the internally oriented thinking of emotional intelligence. Participants were also asked to complete the emotional regulation questionnaire (ERQ) both at baseline and post-training. This questionnaire measures both the regulation methods of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal. We used an ANOVA to test for an interaction effect of EI treatment condition on expressive suppression.

There was no difference in expressive suppression between the PAT and EIT groups at baseline.  There was, however, a significant time x intervention interaction (F(1,323)=4.357, p=.038,  η_p² =.013).  Our EIT program demonstrated a significant reduction in expressive suppression from pre-training (M=13.604, SE=.429) to post-training (M=12.923, SE=.424) for those that completed the EIT condition (p=.036). In contrast, there was no change in expressive suppression from pre- (M=13.397, SE=.446) to post-training (M=13.692, SE=.441) in the PAT condition (p=.382).

The EIT program demonstrated a significant reduction in expressive suppression that was not replicated in those that completed the PAT program, supporting the validity of the program for building critically important emotion regulation skills within the general population. These findings build on recent evidence from the pandemic period showing that this same EIT program was effective at reducing anxiety, depression, and suicidal thinking during the COVID-19 lockdown periods.  With further refinement and development in additional populations, this program could help build emotional resilience and protect against mental health difficulties in psychiatric and neurologically compromised populations.