The Effect of the Oral Contraceptive Pill on Emotion Regulation

Abstract

This study looked at the effect of the oral contraceptive pill (OC) on the emotion reactivity and emotion regulation processes, using the neurophysiological component late positive potential (LPP) and additional subjective valence ratings. The hypothesis concerning emotion reactivity was that OC users would have less emotion reactivity than naturally cycling women (NC). The hypothesis for emotion regulation was that OC users would have poorer regulation than NC women. A total of 54 participants were tested. OC users (n = 30) were tested when actively taking the pill and NC women (n = 24) were tested in their luteal phase. The participants filled in several questionnaires (BDI, PANAS, CTQ, Life Events) and performed an emotion regulation task while being monitored by an electroencephalogram (EEG). Concerning emotion reactivity, the EEG results showed that OC had less emotion reactivity than NC (in the early time window). No significant differences were observed in the subjective valence ratings. Concerning emotion regulation, neither the LPP measures nor the subjective valence ratings showed significant differences between OC and NC. Nevertheless, in future research the results of this study can be used to further expand on the knowledge of the contraceptive pill and its effects on emotion regulation.