EMOTION REGULATION IN PRESCHOOLERS AS A PREDICTOR OF EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIORS IN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD
Date
2020-05
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Maltreated preschoolers who display anger dysregulation have a greater risk of later negative outcomes into middle childhood than those who have not experienced maltreatment. The present study examines anger dysregulation in preschoolers as a predictor of later disruptive behaviors in middle childhood. I predicted that children who displayed poorer emotion regulation on a challenging task at age 3 or 4 would be reported to be higher in aggression and rule-breaking behavior at ages 8-10 than children who scored better in emotion regulation in early childhood. Participants were children who were referred to the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) Lab by Child Protective Services for risk of maltreatment (N = 111). Anger dysregulation ratings were assessed at ages three and four using the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule, and externalizing behaviors were assessed at ages eight, nine, and ten using the Child Behavior Checklist. Anger dysregulation ratings in preschoolers predicted middle childhood externalizing behaviors in some contexts. Specifically, early childhood anger dysregulation in the examiner present context predicted rule-breaking behavior and aggression, with child gender predicting rule-breaking behavior additionally. Results suggest maltreated children who display high anger dysregulation as preschoolers may benefit from an intervention targeted to prevent externalizing problems.
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Keywords
psychology, emotional regulation