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.

Sex differences in the associations between vagal reactivity and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms

“…However, results are inconsistent (Graziano & Derefinko, 2013). One possible reason is that there may be opposite effects of vagal reactivity in males and females (Eisenberg et al., 1995). In this study, we examine whether there are sex differences in associations between vagal reactivity in infancy and ODD symptoms up to the age of 5 years.…”

Violent Victimization in the Community and Children’s Subsequent Peer Rejection: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation

“…The deficits in self-regulation experienced by violenceexposed children could have significant negative implications for their social relationships with peers (Eisenberg et al 1995;Melnick and Hinshaw 2000;Shields and Cicchetti 1998;Shields et al 2001). Children who have difficulty modulating negative affect may be at risk for rebuff because they fail to replace maladaptive responses to upsetting events with more adaptive ones (Pope and Bierman 1999).…”

Moral Emotions, Emotion Self-Regulation, Callous-Unemotional Traits, and Problem Behavior in Children of Incarcerated Mothers

“…Children's emotions, and the ability to manage their emotions, are fundamental to how they feel about themselves and how they get along with others (Eisenberg et al 1995(Eisenberg et al , 1997. Humans are moral creatures, and children develop their morality through the interaction of their own emotional disposition and temperament, their cognitive development, their spiritual tradition, and the influences of family and peers (Eisenberg 2000;Eisenberg and Valiente 2002;Forman et al 2004;Tangney et al 1996).…”