Research on Emotional Granularity and Depression in Teens

Emotional Granularity (EG) refers to how precisely a person can identify their emotions. For example, rather than simply saying they feel “bad,” someone with high EG may recognize that they’re actually feeling “overwhelmed” or “anxious.”

When people struggle to name their emotions clearly, it can be harder to cope with them, and over time, this may lead to issues like depression.

The study focused on teens and young adults between 14 and 24 to see how EG affects them. Researchers looked at how EG is measured, how it relates to anxiety and depression, and whether it changes how well emotion regulation works.

Moreover, they spoke with young people who had experienced anxiety or depression to get their take on EG. Based on the findings, there was a strong link between low EG and depression, but the link to anxiety wasn’t as clear. It also wasn’t clear if EG changes how emotion regulation affects mental health.

Still, teens understood the idea of EG and believed it was something they could learn and get better at. This research tells us that EG could become part of mental health programs for young people to help them feel better and stay healthier emotionally.

Understanding the Research

To understand emotional granularity (EG) in teens and young adults, the researchers did a scoping review in which they searched for and looked closely at many studies that had already been done.

They focused only on people between the ages of 14 and 24 because most mental health problems begin before age 24.

The researchers searched three big science websites (PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) to find all the studies that used words related to emotions and granularity. They also checked the references in those papers to make sure they didn’t miss anything important.

Besides reviewing research papers, the team also talked directly with young people. They held 12 small group discussions (called focus groups) with 24 teens and young adults who had experienced anxiety or depression.

These young people shared their thoughts on EG, such as whether it made sense to them, how it could be taught, and how often emotions are mislabeled.

Below are the main findings from the review:

• When looking at how EG relates to depression and anxiety, the review found stronger links to depression than to anxiety.
• Teens with lower EG (meaning they had trouble naming and telling their feelings apart) had more symptoms of depression.
• These teens were also more likely to think negatively, experience low self-esteem, and feel more upset.
• There were only a few studies that looked at anxiety, and the results were mixed. Some showed a connection to lower EG, while others didn’t. A couple of studies found that teens with better EG handled stress more easily.
• Some studies showed that high EG helped teens manage their emotions better and feel less depressed or anxious. However, others didn’t find this effect. (In short, we still don’t know for sure if EG changes how emotion regulation affects mental health.)

Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

Since the research shows that teens who can name their emotions more clearly may have fewer symptoms of depression — and that this is a skill they can learn — parents and caregivers have a great opportunity to support this development at home.

Here are some ways you can help your teen:

Model emotional vocabulary

Use specific words to describe your own emotions. Be specific about what you’re experiencing: “I’m feeling overwhelmed by my workload today,” or “I’m feeling proud of how I handled that situation.” This will teach teens that emotions have nuance, and naming emotions precisely is a normal part of communication.

Download our feelings and emojis alphabet handout to help your family build a richer emotional vocabulary together.

Have daily emotion check-ins

Daily check-ins are effective for building a habit of self-reflection. Your teen will learn to pause and actually notice what they’re feeling rather than operate on autopilot.

These check-ins also strengthen family connection by helping you gain insight into their inner world while showing them that they are seen and heard.

Avoid rushing to fix

Jumping straight into problem-solving mode actually undermines emotional granularity development. Here’s why it backfires: When you immediately offer solutions or try to make negative feelings go away, you send them the message that certain emotions are problems to be eliminated. A better approach is to be curious.

According to the authors, since the findings about EG’s moderating role are unclear — it is possible that it might be an emotion regulation skill in its own right.

Download our Feelings Worksheets to give your child the tools they need to identify and express their emotions with precision.