Parents' and friends' socialization of positive emotions: Associations with adolescent emotion regulation

Abstract

Adolescence carries new social and emotional experiences. Adolescents’ positive emotions have ramifications for adolescent emotion regulation, and are shaped through interactions with others (parents, friends). The literature on socialization of positive emotions and friend emotion socialization is limited. The present study examined parent and friend socialization of positive emotions in relation to adolescent emotion regulation. Thirty adolescents (13-18 years old, M = 14.40 years) participated with a parent and close friend. Parent and friend coaching and dismissal of adolescents’ positive emotions was coded from a discourse task. Adolescents’ emotion regulation was assessed through psychophysiological measurement and questionnaires. Parents coached adolescents’ positive emotions more than friends, with no differences in dismissal of adolescents’ positive emotions. Parents’ coaching of positive emotions related to adolescents’ poorer self-reported emotion regulation, but better physiological regulation. These findings highlight the importance of both parents and friends in adolescence and have clinical implications for supporting adolescent well-being.