Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies among Left and Right - Handed Students: Gender and Month of Birth

Understanding the brain-behavior relationships based on gender and individual indifferences provide recommendations for more effective educational and behavioral interventions. This study was designed to compare cognitive emotion regulation strategies in left and right –handed students with the emphasis on gender and month of birth.

This descriptive-comparative causal study was performed on 597 (309 girls, 288, boys) high school students. Samples were chosen by cluster sampling method. Subjects completed two scales: Chapman handedness inventory and Garnefski cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Data were analyzed using t-test, Goodness of fit and Chi Square test.

The left handed students were reported to use rumination strategy more than right handed students, while the mean score of right handed students in refocus on planning strategy was higher than left handed students, which was statistically significant (P<0.05). Data showed that higher prevalence of left handedness in boys than girls, and results did not provide support for month of birth role on handedness.

The results of this study provide another support for the role of lateralization in emotion regulation. The findings also have implication for designed intervention programs focused on cognitive emotion regulation strategies.