The Role of Emotionality and Regulation in Children's Social Functioning: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Multiple measures of children's emotionality (emotional intensity and negative affectivity), regulation (including attentional and behavioral regulation and coping), and social functioning (teachers' reports of nonaggressive/socially appropriate behavior and prosocial/socially competent behavior; and parents' reports of problem behavior) were obtained for 6-8-year-olds. In addition, emotionality, attentional regulation, and coping were assessed 2 years previously. Social functioning was expected to be predicted by low negative emotionality and high levels of regulation. In general, the data supported the predictions, although the findings for parent reports of problem behavior were primarily for boys. Prediction of social functioning from measures of regulation and emotionality occurred primarily within a given context (school vs. home) rather than across contexts, even though there were relations across reporters within the school or home context. In addition, vagal tone, a marker of physiological regulation, was positively related to competent social functioning and emotionality/regulation for boys, but inversely related for girls.

Parent–Adolescent Conflict as Sequences of Reciprocal Negative Emotion: Links with Conflict Resolution and Adolescents’ Behavior Problems

“…It may be that this poor ability to effectively regulate negative emotion transfers from parents to children through modeling and emotion socialization. Indeed, it has been proposed that children growing up in family environments with poor emotion socialization might have fewer chances to learn how to effectively regulate their own negative emotions in other social contexts (Eisenberg et al, 1995). As suggested in the present study, family-level difficulty in emotion regulation might result in the development of children's behavior problems.…”

Future Directions in Emotion Dysregulation and Youth Psychopathology

“…Similarly, high RSA is associated better adjustment among children of depressed mothers, and among children who experience various forms of adversity (McLaughlin, Alves, & Sheridan, 2014;Shannon, Beauchaine, Brenner, Neuhaus, & Gatzke-Kopp, 2007). Furthermore, RSA is associated positively with children's social engagement (Fox & Field, 1989), with teacher reports of social competence (Eisenberg et al, 1995), and with expressions of empathy toward others who are in distress (Fabes, Eisenberg, & Eisenbud, 1993).…”

Relation of emotion-related regulation to children's social competence: A longitudinal study.

“…Children's Socially Appropriate Behavior and Adult-Rated Popularity-To assess children's socially appropriate behavior and adult-rated popularity, parents and teachers completed a seven-item scale from an adapted version of Harter's perceived competence scale for children (Eisenberg et al, 1993;Eisenberg et al, 1995;Harter & Pike, 1984). Parents completed items on a 4-point scale.…”

“…Children who are high in effortful regulation are expected to be able to modulate their negative emotions and to be relatively competent at interacting with others. There is some evidence that measures of effortful control in children are related to the ability to manage anger reactions with peers (Eisenberg, Fabes, Nyman, Bernzweig, & Pinuelas, 1994), high levels of sympathy and prosocial behavior (see Eisenberg, Fabes, & Spinrad, 2006, for a review), and social competence and popularity (Eisenberg et al, 1993(Eisenberg et al, , 1995. Thus, the ability to effortfully control attention and behavior may foster the skills needed to get along with others and to engage in socially constructive behaviors with peers, which should enhance liking by peers.…”