KEYNOTE ABSTRACTS

Emotional Schemas and Implicit Theory of Emotion: Overcoming Fear of
Feeling

Emotional regulation is a central feature of each of the anxiety and mood disorders and for several personality disorders. In addition, cognitive-behavioral therapy often encourages behavioral experiments, such as exposure and behavioral activation, in which emotions are intensified and need to be tolerated. Emotional schemas refer to the beliefs, evaluations, and strategies that individuals employ regarding their own emotions and those of others. These schemas reflect implicit theories of emotion and regulation of emotion which have relevance for experiential avoidance, guilt over emotions, self-labeling, affective forecasting and problematic strategies of emotion
regulation. We will review data from a variety of studies illustrating how emotional schemas are related to meta-cognitive factors of worry, experiential avoidance, dispositional mindfulness, personality disorders, relationship adjustment and other variables. In addition, we will review how theories about the emotions of others may impact relationship dysfunction and impede therapeutic progress.