1. Age and gender differences in affect regulation strategies - representative sample of Croatia Ljiljana Kaliterna Lipovčan A, Zvjezdana Prizmic Larsen B & Renata Franc A A Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia B Washington University, St. Louis, USA

2.  AIMS To explore the affect regulation strategies used in regulating the negative feelings in everyday life on the large, representative sample of Croatia citizens ► general use and distribution of using different regulation strategies in everyday life ► gender and age differences in the average use of regulation strategies

3. Population: 4.494.000 Land (km2): 89.810 Islands: 1.185

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6. The first torpedo was manufactured in Rijeka and lounched at December 20, 1886 Torpedo factory, Rijeka 1905.

7. Italian - Cravatta, Spanish - Corbata, Portugese - Gravata, Irish - Carabhat, English - Cravat, Swedish - Kravatt, Finnish - Kravatti, Flemish - Krawaat Polish - Krawat, Ukrainian - Kravatka Cravate (1635) Dalmatian dog

8. Croatia – Brasil0:1 Croatia - Japan0:0 Croatia - Australia 2:2

9.  SUBJECTS Demographic characteristics of the representative sample of Croatian citizens (N=900) Age: Mean Median 42 Range 18-92 years Age groups: frequency (%) Young (18-29) 224 (24.9) Middle (30-44) 271 (30.1) Aged (45-59) 232 (25.8) Old age (60 +) 164 (18.2) Gender: Women 486 (54%) Men 414 (46%)

10.   MEASURES & PROCEDURE ► Measure of Affect Regulation Styles, MARS (Larsen & Prizmic 2004) 38 specific behaviours that people use to regulate negative feelings rated on the scale 1 = never; 7 = always  7 factors (mood regulation strategies) ► In-person interviews in respondent’s home, anonymous, respond rate 77%

11. Active distraction going out with friends, doing some fun, laughin Cognitive engagement thinking about positive things, things that are going well in life, putting things in perspective Behavioral engagement making plans how to avoid such problems in future, taking action to solve the problem Mood regulation strategies

12. Venting and expressing affect letting feelings out, expressing them, talking to someone about their feelings Passive distraction and acceptance praying, accepting it as fate, drinking, eating Rumination and withdraw trying to understand own feelings, thinking about own feelings, writing about own feelings Waiting doing nothing, letting things wait, daydreaming Mood regulation strategies

13.  RESULTS 1. Average ratings of affect regulation strategies a) Average ratings of strategies in whole sample AD = active dis. CE = cognitive eng. BE = behavioral eng. V = venting/expres. PD= passive dis./accept. RW = ruminat./withdraw WR = waiting F = 233.1, p<.001 AD,CE,BE > others strat.

14.  Gender differences  Gender differences AD = active dis. CE = cognitive eng. BE = behavioral eng. V = venting/expres. PD= passive dis./accept. RW = ruminat./withdraw WR = waiting F=131.8, p<.001 AD,CE,BE > others strat. F=116.4, p<.001 AD,CE,BE,V > others strat.

15.  Main effect for gender F=9.85, p Men Venting and expressing affect Rumination and withdraw Passive distraction and acceptance  Main effect for gender F=9.85, p Men Venting and expressing affect Rumination and withdraw Passive distraction and acceptance

16.  Average ratings of strategies by age groups AD = active dis. CE = cognitive eng. BE = behavioral eng. V =vent./expres. PD= passive dis./accept. RW = ruminat./withdr. WR=waiting Young 18-29 (p<.001)Middle 30-44 (p<.001) Aged 45-59 (p<.001) Old 60+ (p<.001)

17.  Main effect for age groups F=37.47, p<.001

18. Active distraction Venting and expressing affect Cognitive engagement Behavioral engagement Waiting Young vs. others : Old vs. others Young & Old vs. others

19. Interaction effect gender x age for Venting and expressing affect F=10.32, p<.001

20.  CONCLUSIONS ►There are gender and age differences in using regulation strategies to regulate negative feelings regulation strategies to regulate negative feelings in everyday life in everyday life ►Predictions were confirmed: - women used more rumination strategies than men - young and old people differed the most in Active distraction, Cognitive and Behavioral engagement, Venting and expressing Cognitive and Behavioral engagement, Venting and expressing affect but not in Waiting affect but not in Waiting

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23. comparisons with other cultures comparisons with other cultures is there the best mood regulation strategy to be used? is there the best mood regulation strategy to be used?