Emotion regulation in two-year-olds: Strategies and emotional expression in four contexts

Authors

Wendy S. Grolnick, Clark UniversityFollow
Lisa J. Bridges, University of California, Riverside
James P. Connell, Inst. for Res. and Reform in Educ

Document Type

Article

Abstract

A descriptive study of the modulation of negative emotion in the toddler period was conducted by examining expressions of negative emotion and the strategies used to reduce or change these expressions. 6 strategies were identified and evaluated in terms of their frequency of use in different situations, relations with emotional expressiveness, and cross-situational consistency. 37 2-year-olds were seen in 2 laboratory contexts (delay and separation) each with 2 variants. Emotion regulation strategies and emotional expressiveness were coded from videotapes of children's behavior in these 4 situations. Findings suggest that active engagement was most commonly used and most negatively associated with child distress. Use of strategies varied by context, and there was more cross-situational consistency in use of strategies that were more negatively or positively associated with distress within a given context than in use of particular strategies without consideration of their within-context significance.

Publication Title

Child Development

Publication Date

1996

Volume

67

Issue

3

First Page

928

Last Page

941

ISSN

0009-3920

DOI

10.1111/j.1467-8624.1996.tb01774.x

Keywords

stimulus delay & separation from mother, levels & consistency of emotional expressiveness & strategy use, 2 yr olds

Repository Citation

Grolnick, Wendy S.; Bridges, Lisa J.; and Connell, James P., "Emotion regulation in two-year-olds: Strategies and emotional expression in four contexts" (1996). Psychology. 490.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/490