EMOTIONAL REGULATION IN ADOLESCENTS WITH ANTICIPATORY ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON MECHANISMS, INTERVENTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-REGULATION SKILLS

Abstract

The objective of this study is to systematically analyze recent scientific literature on the neurobiological and psychological mechanisms underlying anticipatory anxiety in adolescents, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of brief psychotherapeutic interventions and emotional self-regulation techniques, following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The method adopted was a systematic literature review of the last five years (2021–2026), covering epidemiological and neurobiological studies and clinical trials on interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness practices, identified in PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. After applying eligibility criteria, 20 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The results demonstrate that anticipatory anxiety in adolescents shows an increasing prevalence — exceeding 20% in American populations in 2023 — negatively impacting social and academic functioning, associated with asymmetric maturation of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala hyperactivity. Mindfulness-based interventions and cognitive reappraisal show significant effectiveness in reducing symptoms, promoting greater psychological flexibility. Digital CBT-based interventions show moderate effect sizes and constitute an accessible alternative to in-person treatment. The main conclusion indicates that brief intervention protocols integrating rapid emotional regulation techniques — such as diaphragmatic breathing and self-compassion — are crucial to mitigate anticipatory anxiety effects, providing essential support for the development of digital tools and school-based interventions. Limitations include methodological heterogeneity among included studies and the scarcity of randomized clinical trials with representative samples from low- and middle-income countries.