Parental socialization of children's dysregulated expression of emotion and externalizing problems

Nancy Eisenberg, Sandra Losoya, Richard Fabes, Ivanna K. Guthrie, Mark Reiser, Bridget Murphy, Stephanie A. Shepard, Rick Poulin, Sarah J. Padgett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The relations of parents' warmth, emotional expressivity, and discussion of emotion to 2nd-5th graders' regulation of emotional expressivity, externalizing problem behaviors, and expressivity were examined. Parents' and children's facial expressions to evocative slides were observed, as was parents' discussion of the slides, and parents and teachers provided information on children's regulation of expressivity and problem behavior. Analyses supported the hypothesis that the effect of parental variables on children's problem behavior was at least partly indirect through their children's regulation of emotion. Children's low negative (versus positive) facial expressivity to negative slides was associated with problem behavior for boys. A reversed model did not support the possibility that children's functioning had causal effects on parenting. The findings suggest that parents' emotion-related behaviors are linked to children's regulation of expressivity and externalizing behaviors.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)183-205
Number of pages23
JournalJournal of Family Psychology
Volume15
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • General Psychology

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