Emotion Socialization and Children’s Behavioral Problems in China and the United States

Abstract

This study focused on the emotion socialization practices (ESP) of mothers and fathers with their 4-year-old children in the U.S. and China in predicting children’s externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Participants were 111 preschool children (58 Chinese, 53 U.S.) and their parents. Chinese parents were less supportive in response to their children’s negative emotions than U.S. parents. Father’s ESP were particularly salient predictors of Chinese children’s behavior, whereas mother’s ESP uniquely predicted U.S. children’s behavior. Several interactions indicated that it was the combined influence of mothers’ and fathers’ ESP that predicted Chinese children’s behavior, underscoring the importance of a family systems’ perspective.