Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Social Cognitive Impairments in Bipolar Disorder

Zixuan Zhu

doi:10.54097/cg9t4c04

Authors

Zixuan Zhu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/cg9t4c04

Keywords:

Bipolar Disorder, Emotion Regulation, Social Cognitive, Emotion Recognition, Theory of Mind, Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is characterized not only by mood dysregulation but also by marked difficulties in regulating emotions and interpreting social information. This paper examines research on the intersection of emotion regulation and social cognition in bipolar disorders, especially focusing on how regulatory processes such as cognitive reappraisal and suppression shape social cognitive functions, including theory of mind, emotion recognition, and interpersonal interpretation. Evidence consistently indicates individuals with bipolar disorder experience impairment in both domains, and that deflection in emotional regulation may affect their biases in social cognition, contributing to interpersonal difficulties and functional impairment. However, the literature remains fragmented. Most studies addressing these constructs separately rather than integratively. Overall, the synthesis suggests the emotion regulation difficulties are an important mechanism underlying social-cognitive impairments in bipolar disorder. Future research should employ integrative designs to clarify causal relationships and explore how targeting emotion regulation strategies may improve social functioning and treatment outcomes in bipolar disorder.

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