Emotional regulation and aggression in children: The regulatory role of Turkish mothers' emotion socialization reactions

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThe main aim of this research is to determine whether positive or negative maternal reactions in the field of emotional socialization play an intermediary role in the relationship between a child's emotional regulation skills and aggressive behavior.BackgroundPrevious findings show the effects of children's emotion regulation skills and parents' emotional socialization responses on aggressive behavior. However, researchers have not reported how children's emotion regulation skills influence maternal emotional socialization responses or investigated the mediating role of maternal emotional socialization responses on emotion regulation and aggressive behavior.MethodThe study was conducted with 285 mothers of 60‐ to 72‐month‐old children attending preschool. Research data were collected using the Children Aggression Scale—Parent Version, Dealing With Negative Emotions of Children, Emotional Regulation Checklist, Attachment Insecurity Screening Inventory, Parental Attitude Scale, and Child–Parent Relationship Scale.ResultsPositive and negative responses of mothers play a mediating role in the relationship between children's aggression and emotional regulation. Mothers' positive responses were effective in reducing the aggression level of children with a low level of emotional regulation. In addition, even if children's emotional regulation skills are low, positive responses are effective in reducing mothers' negative reactions and thus children's aggression levels.ImplicationsGiven the importance of promoting positive development in children, this study may have important implications for intervention and prevention programs. In particular, family‐based interventions that encourage mothers to use emotional socialization applications and education/techniques that encourage parents' emotional regulation strategies are recommended.