Mutual emotion regulation and the stability of conduct problems between preschool and early school age.
Mutual regulation of anger plays a role in both healthy adjustment and mental health problems. This study of 85 preschooler boys and girls examined mother-preschooler anger regulation during a frustration in relation to the child's preschool and school age problem status. Less mutual positive emotion, more mutual anger, and more emotional mismatches than other dyads characterized dyads with a stable conduct problem child. Maternal emotion predicted school age conduct problems, particularly for boys. Maternal emotion also predicted stability versus improvement of symptoms. The emotional dynamics of mother-preschooler angry exchanges may redirect girls' conduct problems and may contribute to the stability of boys' conduct problems.
Cole
Pamela M
PM
Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA.
Teti
Laureen O
LO
Zahn-Waxler
Carolyn
C
D000339:Affect; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires