How leaders’ interpersonal emotion regulation strategies can attenuate the self-maintaining effect of employee venting? A venter-recipient interaction perspective

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.0113

Abstract

Cite this article

ZHANG Shengjun, ZHOU Jianjun, WAN Guoguang, LIU Fangzhou, LONG Lirong, PANG Xuhong. (2026). How leaders’ interpersonal emotion regulation strategies can attenuate the self-maintaining effect of employee venting? A venter-recipient interaction perspective. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 58(1), 113-129.

share this article

0
/ / Recommend

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://journal.psych.ac.cn/acps/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.0113

https://journal.psych.ac.cn/acps/EN/Y2026/V58/I1/113

Figures/Tables 6

Figure 1. Research Model.
Note. ns indicates that the moderating effect of this strategy is not significant. At the within-individual level, this paper controls for employees’ anger in the morning of day t; at the between-individual level, it controls for leader-member exchange, subordinate trait empathy, and leaders’ emotional intelligence.

Figure 1. Research Model.Note. ns indicates that the moderating effect of this strategy is not significant. At the within-individual level, this paper controls for employees’ anger in the morning of day t; at the between-individual level, it controls for leader-member exchange, subordinate trait empathy, and leaders’ emotional intelligence.

Table 1 Multilevel CFA

	χ²	df	χ²/df	Δχ²(Δdf)	RMSEA	CFI	TLI	SRMR _{within-individual}	SRMR _{between-individual}
1. Eight factor model: V, A, C, VN, LSIT, LATT, LCOG, LRES	1626.35	800	2.03	—	0.03	0.96	0.95	0.03	0.03
2. Seven factor model: V, A+C, VN, LSIT, LATT, LCOG, LRES	3067.79	814	3.77	1441.44(14)	0.05	0.88	0.86	0.05	0.07
3. Six factor model: V, A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT, LCOG, LRES	5336.96	826	6.46	3710.61(26)	0.07	0.76	0.63	0.09	0.07
4. Five factor model: V+A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT, LCOG, LRES	7202.21	836	8.62	5575.86(36)	0.09	0.66	0.62	0.10	0.08
5. Four factor model: V, A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT+LCOG+LRES	9891.28	844	11.72	8264.93(44)	0.10	0.52	0.47	0.11	0.13
6. Three factor model: V+A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT+LCOG+LRES	11637.60	850	13.69	10011.25(50)	0.11	0.43	0.37	0.12	0.13
7. Two factor model: V+A+C+ VN, LSIT+ LATT+LCOG+LRES	12926.71	854	15.14	11300.36(54)	0.12	0.36	0.30	0.13	0.13

Table 1 Multilevel CFA

	χ²	df	χ²/df	Δχ²(Δdf)	RMSEA	CFI	TLI	SRMR _{within-individual}	SRMR _{between-individual}
1. Eight factor model: V, A, C, VN, LSIT, LATT, LCOG, LRES	1626.35	800	2.03	—	0.03	0.96	0.95	0.03	0.03
2. Seven factor model: V, A+C, VN, LSIT, LATT, LCOG, LRES	3067.79	814	3.77	1441.44(14)	0.05	0.88	0.86	0.05	0.07
3. Six factor model: V, A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT, LCOG, LRES	5336.96	826	6.46	3710.61(26)	0.07	0.76	0.63	0.09	0.07
4. Five factor model: V+A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT, LCOG, LRES	7202.21	836	8.62	5575.86(36)	0.09	0.66	0.62	0.10	0.08
5. Four factor model: V, A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT+LCOG+LRES	9891.28	844	11.72	8264.93(44)	0.10	0.52	0.47	0.11	0.13
6. Three factor model: V+A+C, VN, LSIT+ LATT+LCOG+LRES	11637.60	850	13.69	10011.25(50)	0.11	0.43	0.37	0.12	0.13
7. Two factor model: V+A+C+ VN, LSIT+ LATT+LCOG+LRES	12926.71	854	15.14	11300.36(54)	0.12	0.36	0.30	0.13	0.13

Table 2 Percentage of Within-person Variances

Variables	Within-person variance (σ²)	Between-person variance(τ₀₀)	Percentage of within-person variance(σ²/(σ²+τ₀₀))	ICC (1)
1. Venting to leaders	1.10	1.47	42.80%	0.59
2. Anger(night)	0.69	1.25	35.57%	0.65
3. Venting to leaders on the following day	1.01	1.54	39.61%	0.62
4. Situation modification	0.43	0.77	35.83%	0.65
5. Attentional deployment	0.19	0.57	25.00%	0.75
6. Cognitive change	0.27	0.58	31.76%	0.68
7. Modulating the emotional response	0.48	3.25	12.87%	0.87
8. Anger(morning)	0.84	1.20	41.18%	0.59
9. Emotional relaxation(night)	0.60	1.25	32.43%	0.68

Table 2 Percentage of Within-person Variances

Variables	Within-person variance (σ²)	Between-person variance(τ₀₀)	Percentage of within-person variance(σ²/(σ²+τ₀₀))	ICC (1)
1. Venting to leaders	1.10	1.47	42.80%	0.59
2. Anger(night)	0.69	1.25	35.57%	0.65
3. Venting to leaders on the following day	1.01	1.54	39.61%	0.62
4. Situation modification	0.43	0.77	35.83%	0.65
5. Attentional deployment	0.19	0.57	25.00%	0.75
6. Cognitive change	0.27	0.58	31.76%	0.68
7. Modulating the emotional response	0.48	3.25	12.87%	0.87
8. Anger(morning)	0.84	1.20	41.18%	0.59
9. Emotional relaxation(night)	0.60	1.25	32.43%	0.68

Table 3 Means, Standard Deviations, and Correlations of Variables

Variables	Means	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Within individual level
1. Venting to leaders	2.60	1.60	(0.88)	0.81^***	0.99^***	-0.23^*	-0.26^**	-0.18	-0.07	0.76^***	0.00	-0.07	-0.03	-0.05
2. Anger (night)	2.15	1.39	0.18^***	(0.94)	0.80	-0.18^*	-0.23^*	-0.10	-0.06	0.89^***	-0.15^***	-0.23^*	-0.04	-0.08
3. Venting to leaders on the following day	2.55	1.59	0.07^*	0.23^***	(0.88)	-0.20^*	-0.25^**	-0.15	-0.03	0.76^***	-0.01	-0.06	-0.02	-0.07
4. Situation modification	5.93	1.10	0.01	0.03	0.01	(0.89)	0.90^***	0.92^***	0.32^***	-0.18	0.21^***	0.07	0.38^***	0.52^***
5. Attentional deployment	6.11	0.88	0.04	0.05	0.03	0.40^***	(0.86)	0.92^***	0.32^***	-0.21^*	0.19^***	0.11	0.44^***	0.51^***
6. Cognitive change	6.04	0.93	0.02	-0.02	-0.04	0.11^***	0.38^***	(0.86)	0.34^***	-0.12	0.18^***	0.05	0.41^***	0.48^***
7. Modulating the emotional response	4.45	1.94	0.04	-0.02	0.02	0.03	0.14^***	0.14^***	(0.81)	-0.07	0.12^***	-0.06	0.24^**	0.22
8. Anger (morning)	2.13	1.42	0.21^***	0.21^***	0.19^***	0.02	0.01	-0.00	-0.00	(0.93)	-0.15^***	-0.17	-0.00	-0.01
9. Emotional relaxation (night)	5.57	1.37	-0.02	-0.07^*	-0.02	0.03	0.00	0.01	-0.01	-0.00	(0.90)	0.44^***	0.17^***	0.24^***
Between individual level
10. LMX	5.59	1.08										(0.93)	0.12	0.14
11. Employee trait empathy	6.20	0.80											(0.82)	0.66^***
12. Leader Emotional Intelligence	5.59	1.02												(0.91)

Table 3 Means, Standard Deviations, and Correlations of Variables

Variables	Means	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Within individual level
1. Venting to leaders	2.60	1.60	(0.88)	0.81^***	0.99^***	-0.23^*	-0.26^**	-0.18	-0.07	0.76^***	0.00	-0.07	-0.03	-0.05
2. Anger (night)	2.15	1.39	0.18^***	(0.94)	0.80	-0.18^*	-0.23^*	-0.10	-0.06	0.89^***	-0.15^***	-0.23^*	-0.04	-0.08
3. Venting to leaders on the following day	2.55	1.59	0.07^*	0.23^***	(0.88)	-0.20^*	-0.25^**	-0.15	-0.03	0.76^***	-0.01	-0.06	-0.02	-0.07
4. Situation modification	5.93	1.10	0.01	0.03	0.01	(0.89)	0.90^***	0.92^***	0.32^***	-0.18	0.21^***	0.07	0.38^***	0.52^***
5. Attentional deployment	6.11	0.88	0.04	0.05	0.03	0.40^***	(0.86)	0.92^***	0.32^***	-0.21^*	0.19^***	0.11	0.44^***	0.51^***
6. Cognitive change	6.04	0.93	0.02	-0.02	-0.04	0.11^***	0.38^***	(0.86)	0.34^***	-0.12	0.18^***	0.05	0.41^***	0.48^***
7. Modulating the emotional response	4.45	1.94	0.04	-0.02	0.02	0.03	0.14^***	0.14^***	(0.81)	-0.07	0.12^***	-0.06	0.24^**	0.22
8. Anger (morning)	2.13	1.42	0.21^***	0.21^***	0.19^***	0.02	0.01	-0.00	-0.00	(0.93)	-0.15^***	-0.17	-0.00	-0.01
9. Emotional relaxation (night)	5.57	1.37	-0.02	-0.07^*	-0.02	0.03	0.00	0.01	-0.01	-0.00	(0.90)	0.44^***	0.17^***	0.24^***
Between individual level
10. LMX	5.59	1.08										(0.93)	0.12	0.14
11. Employee trait empathy	6.20	0.80											(0.82)	0.66^***
12. Leader Emotional Intelligence	5.59	1.02												(0.91)

Table 4 Results of multilevel path analysis

Variable	Anger (night)							Emotional relaxation (night)								Venting to leaders on the following day
Variable	M1	M2	M3	M 4	M5	M6	M7	M8	M9		M10	M11	M12	M13	M14	M15	M16
Intercept	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)		5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	0.08 (0.41)	0.08 (0.41)
Controls
Workday	0.11 (0.08)	0.10 (0.08)	0.09 (0.08)	0.10 (0.08)	0.10 (0.08)	0.09 (0.08)	0.09 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)		-0.04 (0.08)	-0.03 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)	-0.20 (0.11)	-0.20 (0.11)
Sine	0.25^* (0.13)	0.24 (0.13)	0.24 (0.12)	0.25^* (0.13)	0.25^* (0.13)	0.23^* (0.13)	0.23 (0.13)	-0.05 (0.12)	-0.04 (0.12)		-0.04 (0.12)	-0.03 (0.12)	-0.04 (0.12)	-0.05 (0.12)	-0.04 (0.12)	-0.21 (0.16)	-0.21 (0.16)
Cosine	0.05 (0.08)	0.04 (0.08)	0.03 (0.08)	0.04 (0.08)	0.04 (0.08)	0.03 (0.08)	0.03 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)		-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.18 (0.10)	-0.18 (0.10)
Anger (morning)	0.18^*** (0.03)	0.16^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)	0.16^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)
LMX	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)		0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.13 (0.07)	0.13 (0.07)
Leader emotional intelligence	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)		0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	-0.04 (0.07)	-0.04 (0.07)
Employee trait empathy	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)		0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	-0.12 (0.09)	-0.12 (0.09)
Predictors
Venting to leaders		0.12^* (0.02)**	0.11^* (0.02)**	0.11^* (0.02)**	0.12^* (0.02)**	0.12^*** (0.02)	0.11^*** (0.02)		-0.01 (0.02)		-0.02 (0.02)	-0.02 (0.02)	-0.01 (0.02)	-0.01 (0.02)	-0.01 (0.02)	0.03 (0.03)	0.03 (0.03)
Situation modification			0.04 (0.04)				0.02 (0.04)				0.04 (0.04)				0.05 (0.04)		-0.02 (0.05)
Attentional deployment				0.08 (0.06)			0.10 (0.07)					0.01 (0.06)			-0.03 (0.07)		0.10 (0.09)
Cognitive change					-0.04 (0.05)		-0.06 (0.05)						0.02 (0.05)		0.03 (0.05)		-0.09 (0.07)
Modulating the emotional response						-0.01 (0.04)	-0.02 (0.04)							-0.01 (0.04)	-0.01 (0.04)		0.02 (0.05)
Interactions
Venting to leaders × Situation modification			-0.13^ (0.04)**				-0.11^* (0.05)				-0.02 (0.04)				0.02 (0.05)
Venting to leaders × Attentional deployment				-0.13 (0.07)			0.00 (0.08)					-0.12 (0.07)			-0.11 (0.08)
Venting to leaders × Cognitive change					-0.15^* (0.06)		-0.09 (0.07)						-0.08 (0.06)		-0.04 (0.07)
Venting to leaders × Modulating the emotional response						-0.07 (0.04)	-0.04 (0.04)							-0.04 (0.04)	-0.03 (0.04)
Mediators
Anger(night)																0.27^* (0.04)**	0.27^* (0.04)**
Emotional relaxation(night)																-0.01 (0.04)	-0.01 (0.04)
Within individual residual	0.58	0.57	0.56	0.56	0.56	0.56	0.56	0.53	0.53		0.53	0.53	0.53	0.53	0.53	0.95	0.94
Between individual residual	1.25	1.25	1.248	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.01	1.01		1.01	1.01	1.01	1.01	1.01	0.45	0.45
Pseudo R²	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.07	0.21	0.21		0.21	0.21	0.21	0.21	0.21	0.58	0.58
	Venting to leaders → Anger(night) → Venting to leaders on the following day
	Indirect effects									95% CI
1. High situation modification	-0.00(0.02)									-0.04, 0.03
2. Low situation modification	0.06(0.02)									0.03, 0.11
Differences	-0.07(0.03)									-0.13, -0.008

Table 4 Results of multilevel path analysis

Variable	Anger (night)							Emotional relaxation (night)								Venting to leaders on the following day
Variable	M1	M2	M3	M 4	M5	M6	M7	M8	M9		M10	M11	M12	M13	M14	M15	M16
Intercept	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	2.15^*** (0.10)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)		5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	5.58^*** (0.09)	0.08 (0.41)	0.08 (0.41)
Controls
Workday	0.11 (0.08)	0.10 (0.08)	0.09 (0.08)	0.10 (0.08)	0.10 (0.08)	0.09 (0.08)	0.09 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)		-0.04 (0.08)	-0.03 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.04 (0.08)	-0.20 (0.11)	-0.20 (0.11)
Sine	0.25^* (0.13)	0.24 (0.13)	0.24 (0.12)	0.25^* (0.13)	0.25^* (0.13)	0.23^* (0.13)	0.23 (0.13)	-0.05 (0.12)	-0.04 (0.12)		-0.04 (0.12)	-0.03 (0.12)	-0.04 (0.12)	-0.05 (0.12)	-0.04 (0.12)	-0.21 (0.16)	-0.21 (0.16)
Cosine	0.05 (0.08)	0.04 (0.08)	0.03 (0.08)	0.04 (0.08)	0.04 (0.08)	0.03 (0.08)	0.03 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)		-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.05 (0.08)	-0.18 (0.10)	-0.18 (0.10)
Anger (morning)	0.18^*** (0.03)	0.16^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)	0.16^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)	0.15^*** (0.03)
LMX	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	-0.23^* (0.10)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)		0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.42^*** (0.09)	0.13 (0.07)	0.13 (0.07)
Leader emotional intelligence	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	-0.06 (0.10)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)		0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	0.21^* (0.09)	-0.04 (0.07)	-0.04 (0.07)
Employee trait empathy	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	-0.12 (0.13)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)		0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	0.16 (0.12)	-0.12 (0.09)	-0.12 (0.09)
Predictors
Venting to leaders		0.12^* (0.02)**	0.11^* (0.02)**	0.11^* (0.02)**	0.12^* (0.02)**	0.12^*** (0.02)	0.11^*** (0.02)		-0.01 (0.02)		-0.02 (0.02)	-0.02 (0.02)	-0.01 (0.02)	-0.01 (0.02)	-0.01 (0.02)	0.03 (0.03)	0.03 (0.03)
Situation modification			0.04 (0.04)				0.02 (0.04)				0.04 (0.04)				0.05 (0.04)		-0.02 (0.05)
Attentional deployment				0.08 (0.06)			0.10 (0.07)					0.01 (0.06)			-0.03 (0.07)		0.10 (0.09)
Cognitive change					-0.04 (0.05)		-0.06 (0.05)						0.02 (0.05)		0.03 (0.05)		-0.09 (0.07)
Modulating the emotional response						-0.01 (0.04)	-0.02 (0.04)							-0.01 (0.04)	-0.01 (0.04)		0.02 (0.05)
Interactions
Venting to leaders × Situation modification			-0.13^ (0.04)**				-0.11^* (0.05)				-0.02 (0.04)				0.02 (0.05)
Venting to leaders × Attentional deployment				-0.13 (0.07)			0.00 (0.08)					-0.12 (0.07)			-0.11 (0.08)
Venting to leaders × Cognitive change					-0.15^* (0.06)		-0.09 (0.07)						-0.08 (0.06)		-0.04 (0.07)
Venting to leaders × Modulating the emotional response						-0.07 (0.04)	-0.04 (0.04)							-0.04 (0.04)	-0.03 (0.04)
Mediators
Anger(night)																0.27^* (0.04)**	0.27^* (0.04)**
Emotional relaxation(night)																-0.01 (0.04)	-0.01 (0.04)
Within individual residual	0.58	0.57	0.56	0.56	0.56	0.56	0.56	0.53	0.53		0.53	0.53	0.53	0.53	0.53	0.95	0.94
Between individual residual	1.25	1.25	1.248	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.25	1.01	1.01		1.01	1.01	1.01	1.01	1.01	0.45	0.45
Pseudo R²	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.07	0.21	0.21		0.21	0.21	0.21	0.21	0.21	0.58	0.58
	Venting to leaders → Anger(night) → Venting to leaders on the following day
	Indirect effects									95% CI
1. High situation modification	-0.00(0.02)									-0.04, 0.03
2. Low situation modification	0.06(0.02)									0.03, 0.11
Differences	-0.07(0.03)									-0.13, -0.008