18세 이상의 남, 여 432명을 대상으로 정서표현 및 조절, 의사소통에 대한 인구통계학적차이를 상관분석, t-검정 및 일원변량분석을 이용하였다. 주요 결과는 첫째, 정서표현은 하위영역 모두에서 인구통계학적 특성에 따른 차이는 유의하지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 정서조절방략의 검정 결과, ‘회피 및 분산’은 중졸 이하가 고졸 및 대졸 이상보다 회피분산의 수준이 유의하였고, ‘재해석 방략’은 중졸 이하가 고졸 및 대졸 이상보다 높은 것으로 나타났다. ‘정서의 인식과 이해’ 방략에서는 20세 이하가 높았고, 고졸이 대졸보다 높은 것으로 나타났다. ‘능동적 대처’에서는 20세 이하가 30대나 40대보다 유의하게 높고, 고졸이 대졸에 비해 높은 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 ‘사회적 지지의 추구’ 방략은 차이가 유의하지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 의사소통유형의 차이 검정 결과에서는 기능적 의사소통유형인 일치형수준의 차이는 유의하지 않았으나, 역기능적 의사소통유형 수준에서는 20대 연령대 보다 30, 40대연령대의 역기능적 의사소통유형의 수준이 높았다. 출생순위에서는 첫째가 역기능적 의사소통유형 수준이 가장 낮았고, 다섯째 이상이 가장 높게 나타났다. 정서표현 및 정서조절방략, 의사소통유형의 수준에 대한 인구통계학적인 차이에 대한 이해는 상담전략 수립 및 상담의 조기 종결 예방, 내담자와 깊이 있는 라포형성 등 상담 및 치료에 도움이 될 것이다.

Under the goal of testing demographic differences in emotional expression and regulation and communication, this study administered a questionnaire of emotional expression, emotional regulation, and types of communication to 432 men and women aged 18 or older. The study then collected data and conducted analysis with correlation analysis, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The research findings were as follows: first, there were no significant differences in all the subareasof emotional expression, which include negative emotional expression, positive emotional expression, and expression of intimacy, according to the demographic characteristics. Second, differences were tested in the means of emotional regulation, which consist of “avoidance and distraction,” “re-interpretation,” “recognition and understanding of emotions,” “active measure,” and “pursuit of social support,” according to the demographic characteristics. As a result, the level of “avoidance and distraction” was significantly higher among those who graduated from middle school or a lower-level educational institute than those who graduated from high school or college. The former group also showed a higher level of “re-interpretation” means than the latter group. There were significant differences in the means of “recognition and understanding of emotions” according to age and education. Those who graduated from high school exhibited a higher level of recognition and understanding of emotions than those who graduated from college in the age group of 20 years old or younger. Significant differences were also observed in “active measure” according to age and education. Those who were 20 years old or younger showed a significantly higher level of active measures than those who were in their thirties or forties. Those who graduated from high school had a higher level of “active measure” than those who graduated from college. There were no significant differences in the means of “pursuit of social support” according to demographic characteristics. Third, the test results of differences in the types of communication according to the demographic characteristics indicate that there were no significant differences in congruent communication, one of the functional communication types, according to the demographic characteristics. The level of dysfunctional communication was higher among those who were in their thirties or forties than those who were in their twenties. When birth order was taken into account, the level of dysfunctional communication was the lowest among first-borns and the highest among those who were born fifth or later. Those findings will hopefully make a contribution to understanding the emotional expression and regulation and the types of communication according to demographic characteristics and from the perspective of personal development psychology.