Sex differences in toddlers’ negative attributions to challenges: Associations with maternal emotion coaching and emotional awareness

Abstract

AbstractChildren's attributions during challenge have roots in toddlerhood with the onset of self‐evaluative emotions and may reflect sex differences in early socialization practices. This study examined toddler sex as moderating associations between mothers’ (n = 104, 73.1% White, 75% with a college degree or more) characteristics (low emotional awareness, emotion coaching beliefs) and toddlers’ (Mage = 26.4 mos.; 51 girls) self‐evaluative negative attributions of difficulty during a challenging lab task. Negative attributions reflected self‐directed comments such as “I can't do it.” Girls made more negative self‐attributions in the context of mothers’ lower emotional awareness whereas boys made more negative self‐attributions in the context of mothers’ greater emotion coaching (medium effects). Results demonstrate early sex differences in toddlers’ negative self‐attributions to challenge.