In recent years, the intricate dynamics of adolescent emotional development have garnered increasing scientific attention, particularly in populations vulnerable to neglect and psychosocial adversity. A groundbreaking study conducted by Jesline, Romate, Diya, and colleagues, published in BMC Psychology (2025), sheds new light on how resilience uniquely mediates the complex relationship between meta-emotions and emotional regulation among neglected adolescents. This research not only deepens our theoretical understanding but also offers potential avenues for therapeutic interventions targeting at-risk youth, whose emotional development is often compromised by adverse childhood experiences.
Meta-emotions, a relatively novel psychological construct, refer to the feelings individuals have about their own emotions. For example, feeling guilty about anger or proud of one’s happiness falls under meta-emotional awareness. These emotions about emotions have profound implications for overall emotional health, influencing how individuals manage and respond to affective states. The study by Jesline and colleagues highlights that for adolescents who have experienced neglect, the way they perceive and reflect upon their own emotional reactions plays a critical role in their ability to regulate emotions effectively.
Emotional regulation—the process by which individuals influence their feelings, how they experience them, and how they express them—is a vital component of mental health and adaptive behavior. Deficits in emotional regulation are linked to numerous psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder. Neglected adolescents frequently exhibit impaired emotional regulation due to the lack of supportive caregiving environments during critical developmental periods. This study elucidates that resilience, defined as the dynamic capacity to adapt successfully in the face of adversity, acts as a buffer or mediator, potentially mitigating the negative impact of disrupted meta-emotional processing on emotional regulation abilities.
The researchers employed a robust methodology incorporating psychometric assessments and carefully validated scales to evaluate meta-emotions, emotional regulation strategies, and resilience levels among a sample of neglected adolescents. Neglect was operationally defined using standardized criteria reflecting insufficient supervision, emotional unavailability, or lack of consistent caregiving. The comprehensive data analysis revealed statistically significant mediation effects, demonstrating that resilience partially explained how meta-emotions influenced emotional regulation, thereby identifying resilience as a key protective mechanism supporting emotional health in compromised youth.
Crucially, these findings underscore the multidimensional nature of emotional development in adolescence and reveal the importance of considering internal emotional processes within the broader ecological context. While meta-emotions capture internal affective evaluations, resilience captures an adaptive response capacity that can be cultivated through targeted psychosocial interventions. This integrative perspective opens exciting new possibilities for enhancing adolescent emotional functioning by strengthening resilience, particularly in populations exposed to neglect or trauma.
One striking aspect of the study is its challenge to the prevailing assumption that emotional difficulties in neglected youth are mainly attributable to external environmental factors. By focusing on meta-emotions, the research foregrounds internal self-reflective emotional processes that may become distorted or maladaptive in the context of neglect but remain amenable to change through psychological resilience-building strategies. These insights pave the way for more nuanced clinical approaches that address not only external circumstances but also internal meta-emotional landscapes.
Furthermore, the identification of resilience as a mediating variable provides evidence-based support for resilience-promoting interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness training, and strengths-based approaches tailored to adolescents. Strengthening resilience may enhance the capacity to reinterpret negative meta-emotions, foster positive emotional self-awareness, and optimize regulation strategies. Such interventions could have transformative impacts on the mental health trajectories of neglected youth, reducing risks for psychopathology and improving overall quality of life.
The implications also extend to educational and social service settings, where professionals working with neglected adolescents can incorporate resilience frameworks into their programming. Training educators, counselors, and social workers to recognize the pivotal role of meta-emotions and resilience can foster environments that nurture adaptive emotional development. Early identification and support may help redirect maladaptive emotional patterns before they cascade into chronic mental health conditions.
From a neuroscientific perspective, this research invites further exploration into the brain mechanisms underlying these psychological constructs. Meta-emotions likely involve higher-order cortical processes related to self-awareness, such as activity within the prefrontal cortex, while emotional regulation depends on complex interactions between limbic regions and executive control networks. Resilience may be reflected in neural plasticity mechanisms enabling flexible emotional responses under stress. Multimodal neuroimaging studies could enrich our understanding of the biological substrates mediating these relationships and inform innovative biomarker-driven interventions.
The longitudinal impact of neglect on adolescent emotional development represents a pressing public health concern, with globally increasing rates of childhood adversity linked to socioeconomic disparities, family disruption, and systemic inequities. This study’s focus on neglected adolescents emphasizes the urgency of creating targeted prevention and intervention programs that address the emotional aftermath of neglect beyond immediate safety and physical needs. By highlighting the modifiable factors of meta-emotions and resilience, the research advocates for holistic models of care incorporating psychological and emotional dimensions.
On a broader theoretical level, these findings contribute to the evolving landscape of emotion science by integrating affective self-awareness and adaptive capacity into a cohesive explanatory framework. Emotional regulation has traditionally been studied in isolation from meta-emotions or resilience, limiting comprehensive understanding. The mediation model proposed by Jesline et al. encourages interdisciplinary dialogue between clinical psychology, developmental science, and affective neuroscience, fostering innovative research methodologies and translational applications.
Given the pervasiveness of adolescent emotional challenges in contemporary society—exacerbated by social media influence, pandemic-related stress, and educational pressures—the timely insights offered by this research resonate beyond academic circles. Public awareness campaigns grounded in scientific evidence about the importance of resilience and meta-emotional awareness may empower parents, caregivers, and community leaders to support youth emotional well-being proactively. Promoting emotional literacy and resilience skills from early childhood could alter developmental trajectories favorably on a population scale.
Moreover, the digital age presents novel opportunities to leverage technology-assisted interventions targeting meta-emotion recognition and resilience-building. Smartphone apps, virtual reality experiences, and online therapy platforms can be designed using the conceptual insights from this study to reach neglected adolescents who face barriers to traditional mental health services. Tailored digital tools can scaffold emotional regulation capacities by fostering metacognitive reflection and adaptive coping mechanisms within immersive and engaging formats.
Looking forward, the study lays a crucial foundation for subsequent research exploring cultural, gender, and socioeconomic moderators of the interplay between meta-emotions, resilience, and emotional regulation. Adolescent emotional experiences are embedded within diverse social contexts that shape how emotions are understood and managed. Cross-cultural replication and extension of these findings will clarify universal versus context-specific mechanisms and inform culturally sensitive intervention designs.
In conclusion, the pioneering work of Jesline, Romate, Diya, and their team represents a significant advance in adolescent emotion science. By unveiling resilience as a central mediator in the relationship between meta-emotions and emotional regulation among neglected adolescents, the study provides a compelling framework that integrates internal emotional self-awareness with adaptive capacity in shaping emotional health outcomes. This multidimensional approach holds promise for transforming therapeutic strategies, guiding public policy, and ultimately fostering a generation of youth better equipped to navigate the complex emotional landscapes of modern life with strength and insight.
Subject of Research: Emotional development in neglected adolescents, focusing on the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between meta-emotions and emotional regulation.
Article Title: Mediating role of resilience on the relationship between meta emotions and emotional regulation among neglected adolescents.
Article References:
Jesline, J., Romate, J., Diya, E. et al. Mediating role of resilience on the relationship between meta emotions and emotional regulation among neglected adolescents. BMC Psychol 13, 622 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02856-0
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