title: Longitudinal Association between Child Emotion Regulation and Aggression, and the Role of Parenting: A Comparison of Three Cultures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ability to regulate emotions is a key developmental achievement acquired during social interactions and associated with better behavioral and social outcomes. We examined the influence of culture on child emotion regulation (ER) and aggression and on early parenting practices, and the role of parenting in child ER.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 48 mother-infant dyads from three cultures (1 UK, 2 South African) at infant age of 3 months for maternal sensitivity during face-to-face interactions and responses to infant distress during daily life, and at 2 years for child ER strategies and maternally reported aggression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were cultural differences in child ER, and these were associated with differences in levels of aggression. Maternal strategies in response to early infant distress also differed by culture and predicted later child ER. Maternal sensitivity during face-to-face interactions was not associated with culture and showed no clear relationship with child ER.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cultural differences in maternal responses to infant distress mediated differences in child ER that are, in turn, related to differences in child aggression.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bozicevic
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Pascalis
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schuitmaker
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult