Introduction

Background of Study

Invalidation
Experience

adolescent’s self-image

mental health

The effects of emotional invalidation are undoubtedly concerning. This is especially true to adolescents, since adolescents are emotionally vulnerable with questions and concerns about their self-image and identity. Emotional invalidation may have a greater impact on adolescents.

This study focuses on students in a Korean high-school environment, where adolescents are placed in a highly competitive environment. In such an environment, mental health may be relatively disregarded while academic performance is regarded as a more important factor of measuring one’s competency, identity, and success. Thus, a study on the effects of emotional invalidation on adolescents in a Korean high-school environment is essential. This paper delves into the issue, aiming to reveal the relationship between invalidation experience, an adolescent’s self-image, and mental health.

Literature Review

The study of how emotions are learned in social settings can provide insight into the potential causes of long-term suppression of emotions and thoughts. The way parents respond to their children's emotions can have a significant impact on how they perceive, express, and regulate their own emotions later in life (Wenzlaff & Eisenberg, 1998). Positive parental responses to emotional distress and encouragement of emotional expression have been linked to better emotional and social outcomes for children (Field, 1994, Roberts, 1999; Roberts & Strayer, 1987). Conversely, negative responses such as rejection, punishment, or dismissal of emotions have been associated with emotional and social problems in childhood and can lead to avoidant-insecure attachments (Gottman, Katz, & Hooven, 1996).

Children observe and imitate their parents' emotional expressions, and learn how to express and regulate their own emotions within socially acceptable boundaries (Eisenberg et al., 1998). Parental supportive reactions to children's emotional experiences provide children with a sense of security and teach them how to express, understand, and regulate their emotions (Buckholdt et al., 2014). However, parents' invalidating reactions to their children's emotions increase their psychological distress and teach them that emotions are unacceptable and intolerable. Therefore, invalidation reactions limit adolescents' opportunities to learn effective ways of coping with negative emotions (Jones et al., 2002).

Emotional invalidation has been defined in many ways. For example, emotional invalidation is considered as a process that involves negating, ignoring, or rejecting an individual's emotions. It can be intentional or unintentional and can happen in various forms, such as verbal or non-verbal communication, and may occur in any context, including personal relationships, work, or therapy. This study defines emotional invalidation as “any social exchange during which an individual’s expressed emotions or affective experiences are met with a response from another person that is perceived by the individual as implying that their emotions or affective experiences are incorrect or inappropriate. This definition characterizes emotional invalidation as an active process occurring in response to affective communication, and conspicuously prioritizes the perception of the individual sharer over the intent or objective behavior of the respondent” (Zielinski & Veilleux, 2018).

Emotional invalidation can have significant negative effects on individuals, including their emotional and mental well-being. When individuals' emotions are invalidated, they may experience feelings of shame, self-doubt, and confusion. Emotional invalidation is theorized to contribute to the development of borderline personality disorder (Crowell, Beauchaine, & Linehan, 2009), and is associated with chronic pain (Linton, Boersma, Vangronsveld, & Fruzzetti, 2012), eating disorders (Haslam, Arcelus, Farrow, & Meyer, 2012), rheumatic diseases(Kool & Geenen, 2012), and serious mental illness (Sells, Black, Davidson, & Rowe, 2008).

Studies have shown that emotional invalidation can have long-lasting effects on individuals, particularly in childhood. Children who experience emotional invalidation may struggle with emotional regulation and have difficulty understanding and expressing their emotions as they grow older. In severe cases, emotional invalidation can be considered a form of psychological abuse in which a child's emotions are completely disregarded (Linehan, 1993). There is evidence that psychological abuse, including harsh criticism, embarrassment, and humiliation, can have a harmful effect on a child's emotional and cognitive development, which may continue into adulthood (Braver, Bumberry, Green, & Rawson, 1992; Briere & Runtz, 1988; Ferguson & Dacey, 1997; Gross & Keller, 1992).