Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3167-289X

Date Available

5-29-2024

Year of Publication

2024

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Suzanne Segerstrom

Abstract

Trait responses to emotion (TREs) are personality traits that develop from how one consistently responds to and copes with emotions. TRE development is influenced by demographic factors, such as age, gender, and early life adversity, and TREs can influence how one copes with a variety of stressors. TRE theory and measurement is relatively new, and although TREs have been validated in majority race samples, TRE theory and measurement have not been validated in minority race samples, particularly in African American populations. This dissertation is taking the first preliminary steps for the development of a cross-cultural trait response to emotion dimensional measure. The primary aim for Study 1 of this dissertation was to determine if the empirical relationships among latent trait response to emotion dimensions (e.g., approach-avoidance, control-dyscontrol, engagement-disengagement) observed in majority European American samples existed within a majority African American sample. Results suggested that at both the scale and item-level, the TRE latent dimensional structure replicated in both African American and European American samples; however, there were nuances in how the latent TRE dimensions were characterized between groups. Study 2 of this dissertation dived further into analyzing those differences between groups using cognitive interviewing with small, race-matched focus groups recruited from the Lexington community and the University of Kentucky. From these focus groups, cognitive interviewing revealed similarities in item understanding and identified social contexts and life experiences between African American and European American groups that influenced how they responded to and interpreted TRE questions. Consideration of multiple perspectives, principally minoritized ones, when creating personality measures is crucial for creating cross-cultural measures. Most importantly, this dissertation's investigation and consideration of minoritized viewpoints is paramount for continuing to push TRE and personality theory and measurement into a more equitable and diverse space.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.253

Funding Information

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging Grant titled Self-Regulation and Brain and Cognitive Health in Older Adults (no.: PA-16-160; 5R01AG026307-15) from 2023-2024.

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