The Relationship between Emotion Regulation and Emotion Knowledge in Preschoolers: A Longitudinal Study

Development of symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder from preschool to adolescence: the role of bullying victimization and emotion regulation

BACKGROUND

Childhood oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is associated with adverse outcomes which can continue to impair life well into adulthood. Identifying modifiable etiological factors of ODD is therefore essential. Although bullying victimization and poor emotion regulation are assumed to be risk factors for the development of ODD symptoms, little research has been conducted to test this possibility.

METHODS

A sample (n = 1,042) from two birth cohorts of children in the city of Trondheim, Norway, was assessed biennially from age 4 to 14 years. Parents and children (from age 8) were assessed with clinical interviews to determine symptoms of ODD, children reported on their victimization from bullying, and teachers reported on children's emotion regulation.

RESULTS

Oppositional defiant disorder symptoms increased from age 4 to 6, from age 8 to 10, and then started to wane as children entered adolescence. A Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model revealed that increased emotion regulation predicted a reduced number of ODD symptoms across development (β = -.15 to -.13, p < .001). This prediction was equally strong for the angry/irritable and argumentative/defiant dimensions of ODD. No longitudinal links were observed between bullying victimization and ODD symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving emotion regulation skills may protect against ODD symptoms throughout childhood and adolescence.

Preschool Aggression and Victimization: A Short-Term Longitudinal Analysis of the Immediate Social Environment

Introduction

Preschool aggression, a significant concern, requires an in-depth examination beyond individual factors. This study explored the link between individual characteristics, immediate social environment variables, and the likelihood of preschoolers being nominated as aggressors or victims. The novelty of the study lies in its comprehensive longitudinal examination, using a multi-informant approach, of how family dynamics, peer relations, teacher-child interactions, and community factors are related to preschool aggression within the context of Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory.

Methods

Data was collected at two points, four months apart, to investigate the interplay among sociodemographic, individual, family, and school factors and subsequent child aggression. The study included 394 children (184 girls, 210 boys), aged 3 to 6 years (M = 4.36, SD = 0.87). Caregivers completed questionnaires on socioeconomic status, community relationships, children's emotional regulation, and family functioning. Teachers rated closeness with each child, while children nominated liked and disliked peers, as well as those exhibiting aggressive or victimized behaviour.

Results

Logistic regression models revealed stronger associations between peer aggression and victimization and individual factors over microsystems. Surprisingly, community cohesion showed a robust positive link with an increased likelihood of children being nominated as victims, challenging the assumption that positive parenting practices and strong community cohesion always leads to positive outcomes for individuals.

Discussion

The study advances theoretical understanding by examining how factors within preschoolers' microsystems influence aggressive behaviors, contributing to more holistic models for addressing preschool aggression and victimization in schools. The findings highlight the significance of targeted interventions, emphasizing early identification of aggression or victimization signs and customized programs for social and emotional skill development. Addressing parental stress and interparental conflict is crucial. Additionally, community-based initiatives, like strengthening support networks, play a pivotal role in fostering healthier social dynamics among preschoolers.

Predicting real-world emotion and health from spontaneously assessed linguistic distancing using novel scalable technology

Individuals who are better at regulating their emotions have been shown to have better physical and mental health outcomes. One promising emotion regulation strategy is psychological distancing, which involves appraising a stimulus with objectivity or spatial/temporal distance. Language-based psychological distancing (linguistic distancing [LD]) refers to the degree to which one implements psychological distancing naturally via language. A crucial, underexamined mechanism that may account for real-world emotion and health self-reports is spontaneous (i.e., implicit) LD. Using HealthSense, a novel, scalable, mobile health assessment application, we collected lexical transcriptions for personally specific negative and positive events as well as emotion and health-relevant data over 14 days (data collected in 2021) and examined how implicit LD during negative and positive events relates to well-being over time. Primary analyses revealed that higher LD during negative events was associated with lower levels of stress as well as greater emotional and physical well-being within persons. LD during positive events on 1 day predicted greater reports of happiness 2 days later within persons. LD during positive events was associated with fewer symptoms of depression and LD during negative events was associated with greater physical well-being among persons. Exploratory analyses revealed that average depression, rumination, and perceived stress across the 2 weeks were significantly negatively associated with LD during negative events between persons. The present results expand understanding of the relationship between LD and mental and physical health risks and motivate future research on low-burden, scalable interventions involving LD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Pretend play-based training improves some socio-emotional competences in 5-6-year-old children: A large-scale study assessing implementation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a pretend play-based training in 5-6-year-old children in a large scale school context on emotion comprehension, emotion regulation, prosocial behaviour and on their pretend play competences. The analysis of implementation variables was carried out in order to ensure program implementation quality in the experimental group. Results show an improvement in emotion comprehension and a decrease in aggressive behavioural responses in children in the experimental group (n = 101) compared to those in the control group (n = 79). Findings are discussed in regard to implementation outcomes and the influence of this form of play on the improvement of these variables.

The Impact of Working Memory on the Development of Social Play in Japanese Preschool Children: Emotion Knowledge as a Mediator

Through enriched play, children learn social-emotional skills necessary for academic achievement and interpersonal relationships with others. Further research is needed on how specific factors associated with social play, such as working memory and emotion knowledge, interact to promote it. Previous studies have examined the association of working memory and emotion knowledge with social play. However, there are no consistent results as to which abilities influence which skills first. Thus, the present study examines the impact of working memory on the development of social play and the role of emotion knowledge in the relationship between working memory and social play. Forty-seven Japanese preschoolers were tested on working memory, social play, and emotion knowledge. Regression analysis indicated that working memory was significantly related to social play. Furthermore, mediation analysis indicated that emotion recognition mediates the effects of working memory on social play. Working memory was found to contribute to social play by improving emotion recognition in children. These results indicate that the pathway from working memory to social play is mediated by emotion recognition and expands previous perspectives on the developmental mechanisms of emotion knowledge in children.

Co-Viewing Mass Media to Support Children and Parents' Emotional ABCs: An Evaluation of Ahlan Simsim

That mass media supports children's learning at scale across a variety of educational outcomes is widely acknowledged, effects which are further enhanced when content is co-viewed with a parent or primary caregiver. Ahlan Simsim, a children's educational television show produced in the Middle East, is focused on supporting children's socio-emotional needs. For young children, there is ample evidence in developmental literature that socio-emotional skills are associated with improved school performance, increased pro-social behavior and well-being, and a decline in anxiety and behavioral problems. Using findings from an encouragement design performance evaluation on Season 1 of Ahlan Simsim conducted with families in Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (N = 473), this study provides evidence that families who regularly co-viewed Ahlan Simsim reported improved emotional vocabulary and increased emotion regulation among both children and parents, expanding the understanding of the benefits of co-viewing to also include parents' improved socio-emotional skills. Findings also show that learning extended beyond viewing individual episodes, as parents reported that watching Ahlan Simsim sparked conversations at home about new emotional vocabulary, expressing feelings, and practicing coping techniques.

Special Issue on Mental Health and Well-Being in Adolescence: Environment and Behavior

Psychological problems in children and adolescent populations range from 10% to 20% [...].