predicts emotional regulation

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Background: Failure to self-regulate after an interpersonal conflict can result in persistent negative mood and maladaptive behaviors.

LPFC activity is related to emotion regulation
fMRI with affective challenge (negative facial expressions of a partner) 

healthy, adult participants in committed relationships

a three-week online daily diary, participants reported conflict occurrence, level of negative mood, rumination, and substance use.

Results: LPFC activity in response to the laboratory-based affective challenge predicted self-regulation after an interpersonal conflict in 
daily life. When there was no interpersonal conflict, LPFC activity was not related to mood or behavior the next day. However, when an 
interpersonal conflict did occur, ventral LPFC (VLPFC) activity predicted mood and behavior the next day, such that lower VLPFC activity was 
related to higher levels of negative mood, rumination, and substance use.

Conclusions: Low LPFC function may be a vulnerability and high LPFC function may be a protective factor for the development of mood 
and behavior problems after an interpersonal stressor.